Mikos and Magic
by sessha-chan
Summary: Kagome gets a very interesting letter delivered by an owl offering her a place in a school for magic. Hogwarts here she comes, but she's not coming alone! IYHP. KagInu.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**AN:** Hey! Welcome to Mikos and Magic, an IYHP fic I wrote for pure personal pleasure. If you like it, that's great! If you don't, I'm not forcing you to read it. comments are welcome, especially if they're nice ones! I don't read flames so there's no point in even trying to waste my time. This story has little to do with any sort of plot, it was just an excuse for me to write about Kagome pregnant. So before anyone starts complaining about it lacking in any sort of dynamic plot, you have been warned!

**Mikos and Magic**

**Sessha-chan**

AN: once they hit England all Japanese is in italics

**Chapter 1**

**Strangers in a Stranger Land**

Kagome looked up from the letter she was holding to the skeptical eyes of her husband and mate. Inuyasha looked at her as if she had lost her wits, probably blaming it on jumping down the well for all those years.

"What? That's what it says. If you don't believe me ask my mom to read it to you," she defended, thrusting the letter into his hands and shoving him out of their bedroom door.

"Kagome!" He pounded on the closed and locked door. True, he could, if he really needed to, tear it right off its hinges but... he preferred not sleeping on the couch, in the Goshinboku or with Souta, odd as that may seem.

"What?" Kagome snapped.

"Let me in. I believe you, okay," he relented, giving in to her will.

"No you don't. You just don't want to sleep in the living room," Kagome was unconvinced of his sincerity.

Darnitall, she was getting to know him all too well.

"Well what do you expect? You get this letter delivered by a bird - an owl! In the middle of the day! - Telling you that you've been accepted to a school for magic?"

"Hey! If I can travel back in time five hundred years and marry a half-blood youkai then why can't I go to a school for _magic?"_

"I don't trust it. Not with you pregnant."

"You don't trust anything in this era, Inuyasha! And nothing is going to happen to the baby,"

"Can you blame me for not trusting this place? It's dangerous living here. Too dangerous to raise a family," he pointed out with conviction.

"It's dangerous in the past too, you know. Or have you forgotten all those times I could have died?" Kagome reminded him bluntly.

"But you didn't," Inuyasha shook his fist at the door.

"And I haven't gotten so much as a broken arm here in my era! Can't say that for your era,"

"I still don't like it,"

"Tough. I'm already packing for all of us," Kagome said triumphantly.

"What! Kagome!" Inuyasha started jiggling the handle.

"Don't even think it, Inuyasha!"

"Kagome, who said we were even going?"

"What? And pass up a good chance for a different education?" Kagome sounded miffed. Inuyasha just did not understand.

"Feh," Oh yes. Here was him not understanding, "What do you need all this 'education' for anyways?"

"I need to go to school to get a good job here Inuyasha. Unless you think you can provide for this family when we stay in the Modern Era,"

"Hey! I can provide just fine,"

"But you can't hold a job, which is what you'd need to do here,"

"Stupid, in my opinion," he muttered, sitting cross-legged, facing the door, "Why should I have to 'hold a job'?"

"Oh, Inuyasha?" Kagome said after a while of packing, "Could you give that letter to my mother? The plane tickets are for Thursday and she'll want to know about this before too long,"

"Whatever,"

* * *

Inuyasha did not like the plane very well. Kagome felt ill the entire way and prayed for the trip to be over. Soon.

They landed in an international airport in London, England and Kagome led her husband through baggage claim and out of Departures. She kept her eye out for someone holding a sign with her name on it. She need not have worried.

"_Kagome! Look!"_ Inuyasha pointed to a large, mountainous being of a man who was awkwardly holding a sign with her name written on it in Japanese. _"What in the world is he supposed to be?"_

"_Inuyasha! That's not very polite,"_ She reprimanded, hitting him over the head, almost knocking off his hat. Thankfully, he caught it before it slipped too far.

"_So we're supposed to meet up with that guy holding the sign?"_ he asked, shifting the weight of the luggage he was carrying. Kagome nodded and led the way.

"Hello," she greeted with a smile.

"You Miss Hig'rashi?" he asked. Kagome nodded.

"Yes, My name was Kagome Higurashi. But since my marriage I have been Kagome Taisho," She answered in English and smiled up at the man. He looked shocked her announcement.

"Married? Bu' yur only seventeen,"

"_What's he saying to you, Kagome?"_ Inuyasha asked slowly, eyeing the mountainous man with great distrust.

"It's a long story, sir, excuse me," she switched languages_, "Inuyasha, he was only surprised that I'm married at such a young age. And before you say anything thing, sixteen here is a very young age. By all rights and purposes if I had been considering a boy from this era we probably wouldn't have even thought about marriage until after I was past twenty,"_

"_Feh, whatever. Let's just get going,"_ Inuyasha huffed. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Please forgive my rudeness," she said, turning back to the man. "I haven't introduced my companion. This is Inuyasha, my husband. I'm afraid that he cannot speak any English,"

"My name is Hagrid. I'm the professor for Care of Magical Creatures and I'm to take you to get your things at Diagon Ally," he said, "And I'm sure professor Dumbledore would be willing to fix 'im up with a Language Charm before the term starts," Kagome nodded he thanks and motioned for him to lead the way.

"_What'd he say, Kagome?"_

"_That he was sent to help up get supplies,"_

"_Supplies for what?"_

"_Whatever I need for this school. I don't know. Textbooks or something," _she shrugged.

Hagrid led them to a dingy looking pub that had Kagome cringing over how much dirt and dust covered everything. It was not very well lit inside either. Inuyasha stuck close to Kagome, his bright, golden eyes darting around the room on the lookout for any potential danger to his expecting mate. Kagome had forbidden him from carrying his sword and had relegated it to one of the suitcases, but he still had his claws.

Kagome shot him a look, as if she had sensed what he was thinking. Inuyasha just hitched up a silver eyebrow innocently.

Kagome was surprised when Hagrid took them straight through the pub and out the back. All that was past the back entrance was a brick wall and some garbage cans. Hagrid pulled out a pink umbrella, much to their shock and confusion, and started tapping bricks, muttering to himself underneath his breath. Finally the wall started shifting. Kagome was yanked back behind Inuyasha, who had instantly gone on the defensive. But nothing more than an opening appeared, leading to a bustling old-fashioned street lined with shops.

Kagome patted Inuyasha, trying to relax his tense muscles. _"It's all right, Inuyasha. We have to go shopping. We shouldn't be surprised by the magic they use here. Let's get this over with quickly so that we can check into a hotel or something and get some rest, okay?"_

"_Very quickly,"_ Inuyasha conceded after much thought and frowning. Kagome nodded to Hagrid who took that as the go ahead to wade into the crowd.

* * *

The shopping trip could have been described as mutually painful. Kagome had spent the better part of the time trying to keep Inuyasha under control. The hanyou was excessively distrustful of everything and it took Kagome crying to extract a promise to wait for her permission before attacking anything.

Poor Hagrid had to put up with Kagome's questions and Inuyasha's demands for an explanation as well as the havoc that the hanyou seemed to carry around in his pocket. The giant man looked well relived when he said his goodbyes and left them to turn in at the pub.

By the time they checked into a room in the dingy pub, the Leaky Cauldron by name, Kagome was ready to collapse. Inuyasha promised to stay in the room with her. So the pregnant little miko crawled under the covers and closed her eyes, confident that her knight in a firerat kimono was there to protect her from evil.

Inuyasha settled himself on the floor with his back resting on the bed beside his mate and watched absently as the foreign sun sunk past the buildings, leaving night to rule the sky.

* * *

Kagome blinked sleepy eyes open and halfheartedly covered a yawn. The arm around her growing waistline tightened a little, pulling her just a little closer. With a smile she closed her eyes, reveling in the warmth the hanyou radiated. She tried to get back to sleep but the baby decided to wake up and demand food, reminding her in no uncertain terms that she had not eaten for many hours. Slipping out from under the covers and the clutches of her family Kagome padded over to and started rummaging through her carryon bag for the snacks she had stashed in there for the plane ride. They were gone without even a wrapper to prove they had existed. With a sigh of disappointment and a shrug, she crept out of the room hoping that there might be something to eat downstairs.

The halls were lit only by old-fashioned oil lamps that were trimmed just enough to cast shadows, so Kagome carefully shuffled down the stairs to the common area. Apparently it was not as late, or early, as she had thought since there was still a person or two haunting the tables and bar.

"Is there anything I can get for you Miss?" asked the man tending the bar. Kagome nodded as she slid onto a stool.

"Are you serving anything to eat?" She asked, blushing when her stomach growled. The man smiled and chuckled a little at her embarrassment.

"We have some soup left over. I can heat some up for you if that's all right with you,"

"What kind?"

"Just plain vegetable,"

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," she sighed.

"Then I'll just pop into the kitchens and get you a bowl then," and he disappeared into the back where Kagome assumed the kitchens were. In no time at all he reappeared with a steaming bowl of soup and a spoon in hand. He set both before Kagome. She barely managed to mutter an 'Itadakimasu' before she dove ravenously into the heavenly soup. The man watched her with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"Hungry?" he asked. Kagome giggled and managed to look up for a moment.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I just flew in from Japan and haven't eaten any decent food since before I left. And that was _far_ to long ago," she explained.

"You part of that Japanese family we got checked in? What're your parents doing in London?" he asked.

Kagome sighed. "I _am _the parent. I've been accepted in to Hogwarts and my husband is accompanying me for the year," she could tell instantly that he did not believe her so she held up her hand and displayed the plain gold band Inuyasha had gotten for her with some help from her mother, "It's a long story. I know I'm young. And this is really good soup by the way,"

"I'll tell the Missus that you like it. So, how'd a kid your age manage to get married?"

Kagome groaned, not wanting to tell her unbelievable story and not wanting to lie. She was saved by someone clattering down the stairs in a frantic rush.

"_Kagome!"_ Inuyasha burst into the common room and was at her side in an instant. _"What are you doing down here? Why didn't you wake me up? What if something had happened?"_ he growled at her, trying to cover up his anxiety with a gruff attitude. Kagome smiled, used to it, and patted the stool next to her.

"_Take a seat Inuyasha. I was hungry so I came down to see if I could get anything to eat. They have some wonderful soup here, why don't you try it?"_ she said, then switched languages and ordered two more bowls of soup.

"_Kagome, you haven't answered me,"_

"_Of course I haven't. You're being silly again. I'm fine, other than being hungry. The baby is fine. Moreover, I can take care of myself so you don't have to worry so much. In a couple more months, then you can worry about me tripping in the shower,"_ she nodded briskly,

"_You're not gonna trip in the shower,"_ Inuyasha declared. Kagome nodded.

"_Of course I'm not, but with the way you're acting now you'd think that I was planning to,"_

"Here you go," and the Innkeeper deposited two more bowls before the couple. Inuyasha eyed the man before he sniffed the soup dubiously.

"_It's just soup Inuyasha. Eat. You haven't eaten much since we left either, have you?"_

Inuyasha looked at the spoon. He picked up the spoon. He examined the spoon closely. He set the spoon back down.

"_I want chopsticks,"_ he grumbled. Kagome tittered.

"Excuse me, sir," she called the Innkeeper back over, "Do you have any chopsticks that my husband could use?"

"Chopsticks? I think we can manage that," and he slipped into the back again.

"_Are you sure about this, Kagome?"_

"_About what?"_

"_About this whole magic-school thing,"_ he looked down at his bowl, then back up into Kagome's blue eyes. He was worried. Kagome understood why. They were away from any kind of familiar ground, away from all of their friends, family and allies, any kind of aid in a crisis. It also did not help that Inuyasha could not speak a jot of English, relying on Kagome as his only translator and interpreter.

"_Everything will work out Inuyasha," _She whispered, taking his clawed hand in hers and smiled as reassuringly as she could_, "Don't worry too much. If there's a problem with anything we'll just go home to the shrine. And if we can't do that, Sesshoumaru gave me his home phone number a while back and permission to call whenever we needed to,"_

"_Sesshoumaru?"_

"_Uh huh, the centuries really have mellowed him out to the point where he's almost likeable. Either that or it's Lady Takiko. Never pictured Sesshoumaru mating a hanyou,"_ she giggled at the incredulous look on his face.

"_My brother, Sesshoumaru? Likeable?"_

"_The one and only!"_

"Here you go," the Innkeeper scurried back holding a pair of chopsticks.

"Oh! Thank you," Kagome said. Inuyasha accepted the chopsticks and started picking at the soup. It was not ramen so it managed to last for a few seconds.

"_So, when are we supposed to leave for this school place?"_ he asked around a mouthful of boiled vegetables.

"_Hagrid said that someone will be by sometime in the morning to take us to the train. When we get off the train we should be at a village and from there we will go straight to the school,"_

"_So we should start getting ready then?"_

Kagome blinked and looked down at her watch. The hands read just past five A.M. London time.

"_Eh? I thought it was still evening,"_

"_You kidding? You've been sleeping like a rock ever since you got pregnant,"_

"_And who's fault is that?"_ She shot at him, a little annoyed. He grinned and winked at her suggestively.

"_Mine, like I'd let anyone else be guilty of that,"_

His smile melted her and she smiled back at him, blushing a little.

"_But it looks like you need some more food,"_ Inuyasha pointed out, glancing at her empty bowls. Kagome blinked down at them, wondering vaguely where the soup had gone.

"_You know, I think you might be right," _she said.

"_Of course I'm right, woman," _he tossed in confidently.

"_Much more of that and you'll be sleeping on whatever passes for a couch at that school,"_ she shot back_. "Excuse me, I have to go to the washroom,"_ and she stomped upstairs with all the grace and dignity she could muster.

"_Mood swings,"_ Inuyasha muttered.

"Something wrong with the little lady?" asked the Innkeeper. Of course, Inuyasha could not understand so he just shrugged and twiddled with his chopsticks.

* * *

Kagome was packed and ready to go an hour before anyone arrived to pick them up. They waited down in the common room, playing a three-player game of _dai hin min_ with Sesshoumaru, who had arrived three hours ago to check in on them. So far Sesshoumaru was winning. Kagome chalked it up to his ancient (and she meant ancient!) mind. Inuyasha kept grumbling about what a cheater the he was.

Sesshoumaru put down a pair of tens. Kagome looked down at her cards. No pairs.

"_Pass,"_

Inuyasha put down an ace. Sesshoumaru put down a two. Kagome glared. And put down a joker.

"_Pass,"_ said Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru wisely passed as well and set the pile of revealed cards aside, allowing Kagome to start a new pile with a three. Inuyasha put down three fives. Sesshoumaru glanced between his brother hand his sister-in-law and put down two eights. Kagome grinned. She was about to turn the tables on her youkai brother.

"_Revolution,"_ she put down four jacks.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. That had been entirely unforeseen.

"_That's right! Trade off seats. I get the cushion now!"_ yep, four little cards had changed her position from the 'poor man' to the 'rich man' and she was living it up.

"_Budge over,"_ Inuyasha grinned too, _"She's got you on this one,"_

"Excuse me?"

They all looked up to see a girl with bushy brown hair nervously edging closer to their table.

"Yes?" Kagome asked in English.

"Are you, by chance, Kagome Higurashi?" she asked. Kagome nodded.

"Higurashi is my maiden name. My name is Kagome Taisho now. May I ask your name?"

"I'm Hermione Granger. Ah...maiden name?"

"Oh yes. This is my husband, Inuyasha Taisho," she introduced, _"Inuyasha, say _'hi,'_"_

"Hi," he said, mimicking the foreign word flawlessly.

"And this is my brother-in-law, Lord Sesshoumaru Taisho,"

Sesshoumaru regally inclined his head in their general direction. Hermione blushed.

"I, um, am supposed to take you to Hogwarts," she said nervously. Kagome brightened.

"Wonderful! _Inuyasha, pack up the cards, I win. This girl is the one who's going to take us to Hogwarts,"_

"_About time she got here,"_ Inuyasha grumbled. He expertly gathered up the cards and slipped them into their box, stowing them in his pocket for later use.

"_Stop complaining Inuyasha,"_ Sesshoumaru directed with a small frown.

"_Bite me,"_

"Um... can either of them speak English?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Kagome shook her head.

"Only Sesshoumaru, but he's not coming with us just yet. Inuyasha can only speak Japanese,"

"Oh, well, we'll ask a professor to cast a language charm on him when we get to Hogwarts. Then he can speak both,"

"They can do that?"

"Oh yes. I'd do it myself but students aren't allowed to practice magic outside of school,"

"_What's she saying, Kagome?"_ Inuyasha asked. He had already shouldered their bags and had his hands resting on the suitcases, ready to go.

"_She was just telling me that when we get to the school a teacher might be able to help you learn English,"_ Kagome translated.

"_They can do that? How?"_

"_With something they call a 'language charm.' Hagrid mentioned the same thing yesterday,"_

"_A spell? I don't like the sound of that,"_ he grunted, frowning fiercely at Hermione. The girl shrunk back, eyes wide in a sudden burst of mortal terror. Kagome elbowed him in the side.

"Forgive my husband, Hermione. He's being overprotective," she apologized.

"_Such an embarrassment to our father's name,"_ Sesshoumaru taunted quietly. Inuyasha twitched.

"It's all right. Um... are you ready to go? My parents are waiting outside," Hermione said, glancing nervously at Inuyasha every couple of words.

"Oh yes," Kagome nodded, _"Come on guys, Hermione's parents are waiting outside for us,"_

"_Well,_" sighed Inuyasha hefting the suitcases and striding for the door_, "Let's get going,"_

"_If you are departing now, then this Sesshoumaru bids you a safe journey,"_ Sesshoumaru stood and bowed slightly. _"Brother, take care of your mate, she is a singular treasure found only once every millennia,"_

"_Don't need to tell me what to do,"_ Inuyasha snorted.

"_And if you don't then I will be forced to kill you for disgracing our family with such stupidity,"_

"_Screw you Sesshoumaru,"_

"_I promise that I'll try to write, Sesshoumaru,"_ Kagome stepped in and gave her brother-in-law a hug, which he hesitantly, oh so hesitantly, returned. _"I'll give you a call too when I want you to bring my family. Thank you so much for doing this, it means so much to me,"_ she smiled up at him. Sesshoumaru smiled a little back and nodded.

"_I know, Kagome. And if I did not then Takiko would be sure to remind this Sesshoumaru of his failure,"_

"_And say 'hi' to her and the girls for me, would you?" _Sesshoumaru nodded again.

"_You had best be on your way,"_ he advised. He nodded to his brother and kissed his sister-in-law on the top of her head, wishing them both well.

Kagome nodded to Hermione and the British girl scuttled forward. She led them straightway to her parent's car. Hermione introduced Kagome to Mr. and Mrs. Granger and Kagome introduced Inuyasha to the adults. Inuyasha just eyed them, sizing up their potential danger. Kagome had to elbow him the side before he let up. Mr. Granger helped Inuyasha fit their suitcases in the trunk and soon everyone, sans the older Grangers, piled in the back.

It did not take long before Kagome had nodded off, her head tipping to rest on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha silently repositioned himself so that she would be more comfortable. Mrs. Granger smiled at him when she noticed this as she spoke to her daughter. The silver-haired hanyou blushed a little but otherwise did not respond.

When they pulled into the parking lot for the train station Inuyasha shrugged his occupied shoulder, waking his mate.

"_We there?"_ she blinked, sitting up.

"_We've stopped, so, yeah, I guess we're here,"_

They unloaded themselves and their luggage and soon were winding themselves through the thick crowd of the King's Cross train station. Hermione hugged her parents goodbye and turned to her charges.

"_So what do we do now?"_ asked Inuyasha and Kagome relayed the query.

"This," she pointed at the solid brick barrier between platforms nine and ten, "is the portal to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. We have to go though this, but don't worry, it's not solid, it's only an illusion,"

"That's an illusion? Looks pretty real to me," she poked her finger at the brick, pulling back sharply when it passed through.

"_Eh? Kagome? What's wrong?"_ Inuyasha asked. Kagome stuck her hand into the wall.

"_Huh. Inuyasha check this out,"_ she stepped right through.

And entered another train station entirely. People in flowing robes wandered around as if they did not look strange. A brilliantly scarlet train sat waiting with robed people both boarding and disembarking. She had scarcely stepped away from the brick wall behind her than Inuyasha burst after her.

"_Kagome!"_ he cried, a wild look in his golden eyes, _"Don't ever do that to me again!" _she did feel contrite. Inuyasha had been so protective of her ever since she conceived, as if he did not want to loose the only loving family he had. It was sometimes frustrating but the miko had come to understand the reasons behind it. It had taken some conversations on youkai with the modern Sesshoumaru – one of the reasons why Kagome was thankful that the cold and arrogant Taiyoukai had softened a little – about inuyoukai instincts. And according to Sesshoumaru when it felt like Inuyasha was starting to hover too much or worry about everything she should acquiesce and try to placate him and not be stubborn, since that would only make it worse.

"_I'm sorry, Inuyasha,"_ she apologized sincerely, _"I didn't mean to make you worry,"_

Inuyasha's golden eyes searched her clear blue eyes. She held his gaze steadily until he was satisfied and looked away. Hermione was waiting for them to notice the fact that she was waiting.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked. Kagome looked between Inuyasha, who was still breathing somewhat erratically.

"Yeah, I think we had better. The sooner I'm seated and still in eyesight, the sooner Inuyasha will calm down," she smiled. Hermione looked a little puzzled but didn't ask questions.

The train was not as crowded as the ones Kagome was used to back home in Tokyo and they had no trouble finding an empty compartment. Kagome and Hermione claimed the window seats. Inuyasha sat next Kagome, between her and the door in an unconscious effort to protect her, not to block her in.

It seemed like the moment Kagome sat down she started nodding off. When her head landed on Inuyasha's shoulder again he nudged her back awake.

"_Lie down, Kagome,"_ he advised, _"Your neck hurts if you sleep sitting up for too long,"_ Kagome nodded and curled up on the seat, her head resting on her husband's thigh and one hand curled on his knee. Hermione watched with interest and two questions. Question one: why did a sweet girl like Kagome marry such a scary boy, and at such a young age too? And question two: why was she falling asleep so much? Inuyasha did not seem to be worried about her so it must not be serious. Jetlag maybe?

Inuyasha silently buried his fingers in Kagome's hair, allowing her scent to calm his frazzled nerves.

* * *

**AN:** Story begun. Isn't Inuyasha cute! I really don't like him much but he's gotten so much better since he met Kagome. Kikyou isn't in the picture so these two can live happily ever after, providing of course, that they don't end up killing each other! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 2**

**Of Youkai, Hanyou and slightly Pregnant Miko**

"_Oi, Kagome. Wake up,"_ Inuyasha shook her shoulder a bit, _"The train's stopped and that Hermione-girl is trying to talk to me,"_

Indeed, the British girl was talking.

"... and this is where we're supposed to get off. Oh drat, you can't understand what I'm saying. Why is Kagome falling asleep so much? Is she sick? If she were awake she could translate,"

"And I will, don't worry," Kagome said, sitting up. She ran her fingers through her messed up hair, _"This is our stop,"_

"_That's what I thought,"_

She picked up her carryon and a light suitcase – the only one Inuyasha let her carry. Inuyasha had their other suitcases well in hand and soon the threesome was off the train and waiting as Hermione scanned the light crowd for someone.

"_What's going on now?" _Inuyasha asked.

"Oh!" Hermione started waving, "Professor!"

It was Hagrid again.

"'ermone! Kagome! Inuyasha!" He bellowed, wading his way towards them, "'ow'd you find the trip?"

"Just fine, thank you," Hermione and Kagome said in unison. They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well, let's get you up to the castle," he said and led the way off the platform to a waiting carriage. "This'll take you straight there so you don't need to worry,"

Inuyasha was not paying attention. He and Kagome were staring in veiled horror at what was harnessed to pull the carriage. The creature looked like a giant, rotting, skeletal horse.

"_What is that?" _Kagome asked, turning a little green.

"_Kagome, I'm really not liking this,"_

"_Uh... just let me ask._ Excuse me," She caught Hermione and Hagrid's attention, "Can you tell me what that creature is?"

"You can see that?" asked Hagrid, shocked and looking just a little worried. Kagome nodded.

"So can Inuyasha. Why? Should we not be able to see it?"

"You can only see a Thestral after you have seen death," Hermione explained.

"Oh," Kagome nodded, "Well, okay then," she relayed the information to her hanyou companion.

"_Seen death? Why would she be surprised at that?"_

"_Inuyasha, not everyone here has had to live through wars like we have,"_ Kagome said, taking his hand, _"Death is mostly kept as quiet as possible here,"_

"Is everything alright?" Hagrid asked.

"I believe so," Kagome smiled, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, we don't want to keep anyone waiting," Hermione nodded and climbed into the carriage. Hagrid helped Inuyasha secure the luggage to the roof and waved as the British girl and the Japanese family rolled off to the hills.

"So how long until we arrive?" Kagome asked Hermione.

"Oh, just a couple minutes. I hope you like it at Hogwarts. It's the best school for witches and wizards in all of Europe, you know,"

"Really?"

"Oh yes,"

"_Look, Kagome. It's some kind of weird castle!" _Inuyasha pointed out the window. The watched as an impressive castle sitting by a mirror-like lake came into view through the trees.

"That's Hogwarts," Hermione explained, smiling at their reactions.

"_That's a school?"_ Kagome squeaked.

"_That's the school?"_ Inuyasha asked, disbelieving

"That's the school," Hermione confirmed. Kagome shot her a quick glance, wondering for a moment if she had answered her or Inuyasha.

"I've never seen a school like this before,"

"Well, it _is _a school for magic,"

She had a point.

They pulled up in front of the castle-school and clambered out of the death-horse drawn carriage. They were met by an ancient looking old man and a ginger-haired woman.

"Miss Granger, Thank you for returning early. Miss Higurashi, it is nice to meet you," said the old man, "My name is Professor Dumbledore. I am Headmaster of Hogwarts, and this is our Transfiguration professor, Professor McGonagall,"

"Professors," Kagome bowed, "My name is Kagome Taisho. Higurashi is my maiden name. And this is Inuyasha, my husband,"

"Married?" asked the woman, sounding no little bit shocked, "At your age?"

"Yes. I admit that for our mutual cultures I am young, probably too young to be married, but where my husband's family is from woman frequently marry this young and sometimes even younger depending on the circumstances," she smiled wryly, "I guess I spent enough time there that it kind of rubbed off on me,"

"Well, no worries. We shall arrange special quarters in whatever house you are sorted into," said Dumbledore cheerfully, rubbing his hands together.

"_Kagome?"_ Inuyasha asked.

"_It's nothing. They too are surprised that we're married. This man, Dumbledore-kouchou has said that he will arrange special quarters for us,"_ she translated.

"Oh dear. Can he not speak English?" Dumbledore asked. Kagome shook her head. "Then with your permission I shall perform a language charm. It should speed things up smartly," he said and pulled out his wand.

"_Inuyasha, Dumbledore-kouchou wants to perform a language charm so that you can understand English. Is that alright with you?" _Inuyasha looked downright distrustful as he eyed the old man and his stick.

"_Not a chance,"_ he declared. Kagome frowned.

"_Inuyasha stop being stubborn. Do it for me, okay? What if something happens to me and I can't help you understand these people? You'll need to be able to speak English at some point in our stay,"_ she reasoned. Inuyasha scowled, folding his arms, but eventually relented.

"_Fine. Whatever,"_ he muttered sullenly. Kagome smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"_Thank you Inuyasha,"_ she turned back to the professors, "He's agreed,"

"Right then," Dumbledore pointed the wand at Inuyasha. The hanyou stared curiously at the tip. "Linguo Britannia," he intoned.

Ribbons shot out of the wand and squirmed their way under Inuyasha's baseball cap before either the hanyou or the miko could react. Inuyasha threw the hat off and started scrubbing at his ears, trying to defend against the magical ribbons. Kagome groaned when Hermione and the professors noticed his youkai heritage.

"Professor, I must demand an explanation as to what you just did to my husband," she said quickly.

"That was just the language charm. The ribbons are the words, they won't do any harm," he explained calmly as if he hadn't just discovered that he had a half blood youkai standing right before him, and one who was not in a good mood.

"Inuyasha? Are you all right?" she asked in English. Inuyasha scowled, but nodded, not noticing the use of the foreign language. The miko sighed again, this time sinking to sit on the stone steps.

"You can calm down, Inuyasha. That was only what the spell looked like. If you'll notice, I'm talking in English, not Japanese," she said, trying to calm him down.

"Mrs. Taisho, Mr. Taisho, is there anything you would care to explain?" asked Dumbledore calmly as an eyebrow rose.

"No way, old man," Inuyasha exclaimed. Kagome looked pained.

"_Well, Inuyasha,"_ she said quietly in Japanese, _"They have a right to know,"_

"_Says who?"_

"_It's their school, what if you go full youkai on someone. That'll be harder to explain after the fact," _Kagome nodded_, "And if they know, you can take off the hat,"_

"_Tell them,"_ he was convinced. Anything to be free of the baseball cap of _eeeeviiilll_.

"Professors, you have a right to know that my husband is not fully human. Most of the time Inuyasha is half human and that does count," she bit her lip.

"So what is he then?" Hermione was bold enough to ask.

"I'm half youkai," Inuyasha snapped.

"But that doesn't make him bad!" Kagome was quick to defend.

"What's youkai?" again, Hermione. Inuyasha bared his fangs in a sarcastic grin.

"It badly translates out as demon, little girl,"

"Very badly translates," Kagome nodded.

"Demon?" Hermione and Professor McGonagall stepped back.

"But there's a big difference between Japanese youkai and your Christian demons,"

"Would you care to explain?" asked professor McGonagall.

"Well, your demons have to be nothing but evil, right? Youkai are like humans in that they have the choice to be either good or evil,"

"The higher youkai, that is," Inuyasha amended.

"Right, the higher youkai can differentiate between good and evil and make a choice,"

"There are different types?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, "Well, there are different species and classes. Inuyasha is of the Higher Youkai because his ancestors were powerful enough to take on human form and rise above their baser instincts, becoming what we call youma. I've known both him and his brother for years now and they're much better than many humans," she said, "Inuyasha may be rude and inconsiderate most of the time but he's got a good heart. Better then what I'd probably have if I had had his childhood," tears started to pool in her eyes. Inuyasha's eyes widened in response.

"Kagome! Don't cry, please don't start crying!"

She started bawling, clutching his tee shirt and sobbing into his shoulder. "It's just not fair!" she wept, "How could they do that to you? Just because you had mixed blood, they tortured you and left you for dead when you were only a child! I'm _so_ going to kick Sesshoumaru for not looking after you like a brother should,"

Inuyasha had a frightened expression on his face as he stared down at his distraught mate. Awkwardly he put his arms around her and patted her back as he had seen her mother do in these situations. "Don't cry, idiot," he frowned, "It didn't kill me then. It made me strong enough to be able to protect you and the jewel, defeat Naraku and hold my own against my stuck up, Ice-Princess of a half-brother,"

Kagome pulled away, tears forgotten, and glared. "Sesshoumaru's not gay," she snapped.

"Kagome, mood swings," Kagome's eyes widened and she covered her mouth.

"Oh? Was I? I didn't... I mean..." her lip started trembling. "It's all your fault," she cried, her fist hitting his chest sharply. Inuyasha nodded, catching the fist before it could make another attack.

"Yeah, I know it's my fault. And I'd kill anyone who'd try to take the blame away from me," he whispered in her ear. His words melted Kagome's ire, her tears vanished and she wrapped her husband and mate in a warm embrace, completely forgetting they had an audience.

"Mood swings?" Hermione asked, eyes wide, hoping she was wrong. Kagome pulled back and nodded.

"That's right. I suppose it would be a smart thing to tell you that I am three months pregnant. So if Inuyasha seems over protective you can blame it on first-time-father's jitters," Inuyasha scowled.

"I am not over protective," he protested.

"Yet," Kagome answered wisely, "You forget who's been talking to your experienced father of a brother. He and Takiko have told me a lot about what to expect both from you and the kid,"

"_Still can't understand why someone like her would mate that Ice Princess,"_

"_Ice Princess! Sesshoumaru is not gay!" _Kagome protested, slapping him sharply on the chest and glaring.

"_You sure?"_

"_Inuyasha! You are SO sleeping on the couch tonight!"_ She promised. Inuyasha shut up.

Thunder rolled across the sky. Everyone looked towards the threatening clouds. Inuyasha scowled.

"It's going to rain," he said darkly.

"State the obvious," Kagome returned.

"You're going inside,"

"Not without you," she turned expectantly towards Dumbledore, "Can Inuyasha stay? His race isn't a problem?"

"Don't you mean species?" Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome ignored him. "Kagome, I don't care if I can stay in the castle or not. You want to study here so if I have to I'll camp out in that forest,"

"I know you would, which is why I'm trying to get you permitted inside. I don't feel like sleeping in a forest right now,"

"Your husband is welcome in our school, Mrs. Taisho," Dumbledore assured. Kagome smile and thanked the Headmaster. Inuyasha said nothing but, now that he had permission, grabbed his wife's hand and dragged her up the steps and into the shelter of the castle, just as the rain began to trickle from the heavens above. The Professors and Hermione were not as lucky.

The rain flattened Hermione's bushy hair a little, but McGonagall and Dumbledore were wearing hats, so they were spared the worst. Kagome and Inuyasha, of course, were bone dry, Inuyasha being faster than the rain.

"You're really pregnant, Kagome?" Hermione asked, dumbfounded.

"If I'm not then please tell my doctor. And Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and Takiko. They all insist that I am. And the home pregnancy test too. You'll have to tell that as well," Kagome laughed, "I have been married for a year. It was bound to happen sooner or later," she winked at Inuyasha who blushed at the open insinuation. This was most definitely not the culture he was used to.

"But you're only seventeen!"

"And Inuyasha hasn't even hit two hundred," Kagome pointed out, "By our cultural standards we are both young. But we have Sesshoumaru's blessing-"

"Like I need that," Inuyasha interrupted. Kagome frowned at him and continued.

"We have Sesshoumaru's blessing as well as my mother's and grandfather's. Enough to gain a legal marriage certificate and if they consent to it then there is nothing else we need,"

"Sesshoumaru?" Hermione asked.

"Inuyasha's older brother. You met him already, he was with us at the Leaky Cauldron,"

"Oh, right," Hermione blushed, remembering the timeless beauty of the Taiyoukai. Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. He was used to that sort of reaction when it came to females and his brother. Nothing had changed since Sesshoumaru's mating either, which was all the more amusing for the hanyou.

"We should get you two settled before we start lessons," Dumbledore interjected.

"What sort of lessons will I be taking?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing dangerous," Inuyasha stipulated firmly. Kagome frowned at him.

"Really Inuyasha, you'd think that I was _trying_ to get hurt with the way you obsess," she chastised.

"That's because I know you, Kagome. You take too many risks unless someone is right there to make sure you don't do anything stupid,"

"Me?" Kagome was dumbfounded, "This coming from you? _Who was it that went up against the most powerful hanyou in the history of feudal Japan with only three humans backing him?"_

"_We won, didn't we?"_

"_We only had Sango, Miroku and me. Sango and Miroku I could understand trusting in battle, they knew how to fight and could take care of themselves-"_

"_But you were only a half trained miko with limited experience, is that what you're getting at? I kept you alive, didn't I?"_ Inuyasha frowned right back, _"And _you're _the one who was always telling me not to rush into battles half cocked? Besides, the whole Naraku thing is behind us. _So I'm not going to let you run in knowing nothing about the dangers. Not in your condition. I won't allow it," he folded his arms and stared purposefully down at her. Kagome looked like she was going to fight it but unexpectedly backed down, bowing her head in submission.

"Sorry. I can see where you're coming from and I agree," she admitted then turned back to the professors, "So? Is there anything dangerous we should know about?"

* * *

"She's teaching Kagome?" Inuyasha pointed, sounding excessively skeptical.

"Miss Granger is one of Hogwarts' finest students," said Dumbledore.

"Izzat so?" he eyes the girl for a moment, "bet she couldn't fight to save her life,"

"_Inuyasha! Apologize!" _demanded Kagome.

"_For what?"_

"_For being rude and insensitive,"_

"_What? I wasn't."_

"_You were,"_

"_Was not!"_

"_Was so. Now apologize,"_

"_Make me,"_

"_I'll call up Sesshoumaru and ask him to bring his daughters over for a visit. It's been _so_ long since they have been able to play with Uncle Inu, hasn't it? Remember last time? I just loved what they did to your hair. Hello Kitty really does you justice..."_

Inuyasha's eyes widened in abject terror. Naraku didn't scare him. Sesshoumaru was practically a walk in the park. But Sesshoumaru's two daughters...

"Please forgive me, Hermione. I was out of line," he ground out, his fists clenched so hard that his sharp claws drew blood.

"_There, see? That wasn't so hard," _Kagome patted his arm and smiled benignly up at him.

Inuyasha glared at his mate and folded his arms.

"Well, you have much to catch up on, Mrs. Taisho. Miss Granger and Professor McGonagall are to be your primary instructors, so I will leave you in their capable hands. Until you are sorted when the term starts you and your husband shall stay in a guest suit,"

"Yes, thank you," Kagome bowed and smiled brightly. Inuyasha was still glaring at her. He would let up eventually, but until then she was just going to pretend he wasn't upset at her.

"Where should we start?" Hermione asked, looking up at Professor McGonagall.

"At the beginning, like we should," she said smartly. Inuyasha snorted, but he was ignored. "Let us move into a classroom. You can leave your luggage here, it will be taken to your rooms for you. All you will require is your assigned texts and your wand,"

Inuyasha and Kagome blinked at the pile of their luggage. They had not noticed it being brought indoors.

"Uh, right. Just let me sort this all out," Kagome said, diving into the suitcases. "Books, books, where did I put the books? Oh, here's the wand. Books? Where are you? Oh, tessaiga. Inuyasha, here you go,"

"Is that a sword?" Hermione gasped, stepping back when Kagome tossed the sheathed demon fang katana over her shoulder to her husband. He caught it lazily and unsheathed it, not bothering to let it transform into its grand fighting form. The rusty, chipped blade looked anything but dangerous.

"Yeah, it's a sword, little girl," Inuyasha smirked, "Warrior's best friend is his sword and this is the best sword in the world,"

Hermione and Professor McGonagall clearly did not believe his claim if the expressions on their faces said anything about their thoughts.

"Just don't go waving it about needlessly," Kagome muttered, still sorting through suitcases, "Books? Nope. Clothes. Wait, Inuyasha, what about tokijin? It's pretty evenly matched with tessaiga,"

"But tokijin is an _evil_ sword," Inuyasha countered.

"Right. Sorry. Books? No, not here," Kagome pushed aside another suitcase, "Whatever you two. Ah! Here they are," she held up a brand new book with 'How to learn magic in 30 days' written in elegant, but bright purple, lettering across the cover.

"You'll just need that one today," Professor McGonagall said. Kagome nodded and zipped up the suitcase.

"Let's begin!" Kagome said brightly, jumping to her feet, "There's no way you can be a worse instructor than Miroku when he's frustrated," she giggled. Inuyasha just snorted, trying to hide his laughter.

"_I can't believe you just said that," _he said.

"_It's true though,"_

"Shall we begin?"

* * *

**AN:** _Kouchou_ means principal, just so you know. And Kagome's about to start a cramming marathon! Boy am I glad that I'm not her. Whether she likes it or not she's about to embark on a magic marathon. Eat, sleep and breath spells Kagome-girl! You can do it! Sessha-chan has faith in you! I wouldn't mind having that book, 'How to Learn Magic in 30 days'… 


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 3**

**The Joys of Combining Early Pregnancy and Cramming**

"_My brain hurts more than the last time I crammed," _Kagome moaned into her dinner. They were in the great hall eating at the head table because the only people there were Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hermione and the Taisho couple. The rest of the professors would not arrive for two or three weeks yet and the students still had a month left in their break.

"_That's what you get for trying to learn six years in a day, idiot," _Inuyasha chided with an amused smirk.

"'_m not an idiot, dog-boy," _she returned. Inuyasha did not bother answering, he just pointed to her plate. Kagome got the hint and continued eating.

Hermione watched the interaction between Kagome and Inuyasha with interest. They fought almost constantly, but there was the occasional look or comment that softened the air about both of them like melted wax. Inuyasha, in his own way she could tell, cared for Kagome and worried over her. Kagome cared for Inuyasha and all too often indulged him in his overprotectiveness. They were a strange couple, for sure.

"_Sure you're not," _Inuyasha agreed with a taunting grin.

"_Like you're one to talk," _Kagome retorted, _"You're the one who runs into impossible battles without even a basic strategy beyond 'just keep hitting him until he dies,'" _

"_It's worked so far,"_

"_It's almost gotten you killed more times than I have years on me,"_

"_But I haven't died yet," he pointed out, "After all who else can haul you out of trouble when you walk right into it? I need to stick around just to keep you from doing something stupid,"_

Kagome huffed, _"I'll have you know that I was doing just fine until I met you,"_

"_You were just about to get eaten by Mistress Centipede when we met," _he reminded her.

"_But I'm sure I wouldn't have died. And as soon as I figured out how to get home I would have and never looked back. But you kept dragging me back,"_

"_We had to put the jewel back together,"_

"_Don't remind me," _she frowned down at her plate and piled some more potatoes on.

"_How can you eat that much when you're only three months along? I thought you weren't supposed to be so much of a pig until later on,"_

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, stricken, _"Are you saying that I'm acting like a pig?" _

"_Well, just look at how much... Kagome? Are you crying? Don't cry! Stop that!" _he blustered. Kagome covered her mouth with a hand, closing her eyes to keep the tears in check. They still fell.

"_Excuse me," _she choked out, before getting up and rushing out of the almost empty hall.

"_Kagome!" _Inuyasha leapt to his feet, rushing after his mate.

* * *

Inuyasha finally caught up with his mate when she hid herself in their assigned quarters. The hanyou approached timidly, unsure as how to handle the situation.

"_Kagome?"_

"_I'm sorry Inuyasha. I shouldn't be so thin skinned," _Kagome muttered miserably, wiping away the last remnants of her tears.

"_No, I...I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean to make you cry,"_

"_You don't have to apologize, Inuyasha, it isn't your fault I'm moody,"_

Inuyasha edged closer. Kagome had curled herself up in a corner in the bedroom of the suit they had been given. No lights were lit. The clouds and rain hid the moon outside the windows. But still Inuyasha could find her.

"_I guess I'm tired," _Kagome continued, _"It's been a long day and this magic stuff is draining,"_

"_Doesn't help that you need more sleep than usual," _he added softly with a tentative smile.

"_True,"_

"_Then lets get you into bed. These stones are cold, not very comfortable for sleeping on either," _he waited for her nod before he slipped his arms around her and lifted her from the chilled stone floor.

"_You're warm," _she muttered, pressing closer.

"_You're cold. Come on, let's get you into bed," _he deftly juggled her and turning down the bedcovers and slipped her in, still in the clothes she had worn all day.

"_It's cold here," _she whispered. Inuyasha took the hint and crawled in as well. Kagome was instantly pressed against his body, soaking in the heat he radiated. He ran his hand through her hair.

"_Sleep, you need it,"_

She nodded.

* * *

Kagome woke to the dim sunshine of dawn. She reveled in the warmth of the bed and the quiet of the morning. A happy sigh excaped her lips.

Before she bolted out if the bed and raced to the bathroom, tripping over the blanket that followed her on her way out.

Inuyasha woke to his mate rushing from their room. He sighed and followed. Someone had to hold her hair back. He got to her just in time to catch her long hair from being swiftly introduced to the meager contents of her stomach. The smell was vile, especially for his finely tuned nose. When the dry heaving subsided she sat back against the wall, looking very drained.

"_How're you felling?" _he asked. She glanced up at him, a sarcastic tilt to her eyebrows, but said nothing. He sat down next to her.

"_I hate mornings," _she groaned.

"_Can't blame you,"_

They sat in silence until Kagome dropped her head on his shoulder.

"_I'm so tired," _she moaned pitifully.

"_Yeah," _he said with a quirky lopsided grin, _"I guess puking up your guts like that would wear you out,"_

"_Oh shut up."_

"_Do you want me to carry you back to bed?" _he asked. She nodded, feeling quite pathetic

Once she had been tucked back in bed and asleep Inuyasha wandered out into the common room. It was devoid of all life. Light filtered in through the elaborate windows. He perched himself on a window seat and watched the sun rise.

Someone knocked at the door. He swiftly padded over and yanked it open. It was Hermione.

"Um... I'm supposed to get Kagome for breakfast and her lessons," she said quickly.

"Kagome just went to sleep again. She won't be getting up for another hour," he said.

"Again?"

"Yeah, little girl. She got up, puked up a lung and went back to sleep. She's only going to sleep for another hour or so, so just wait, 'kay?" he frowned.

"What's wrong with her? Is she sick?" the girl looked genuinely worried.

"Morning sickness,"

"Oh."

"It happens," he shrugged it off, "Go tell your professor that she won't be coming for a while," and he closed the door abruptly.

Hermione stared at the door for a moment, considering insisting that a professor's word was second only to God's, but thought better of it.

Inuyasha nodded, satisfied, when she did not pester him any longer. Operation 'Instill Fear in the Hearts of Mortals' was off to a successful beginning. Kagome would not like it if she knew he was being intimidating on purpose, but Inuyasha had centuries of practice acting the terrifying hanyou.

He headed back to the master bedroom. He sat down on the bed against the headboard, resting an arm against a propped up knee and stood guard over his mate and their growing child.

* * *

Just as Inuyasha had predicted Kagome did wake up an hour later. Hermione was waiting in their common room since Inuyasha could not just leave her in the hall, as much he had wanted to. Kagome's teachings of etiquette might not have been instilled perfectly but Inuyasha knew that if he stepped too far out of line his mate would hear of it sooner or later.

"Ready for class, Kagome?" Hermione asked, standing when the miko shuffled bleary-eyed out of the bedroom. Kagome grunted something and closed herself into the bathroom. Hermione sat back down. Kagome left the bathroom, padding back to the bedroom.

"_Toothbrush." _She muttered.

"_In your carryon," _Inuyasha told her. She nodded. Soon she returned to the bathroom, this time a toothbrush dangled precariously from her loose fingers.

In a few minutes Kagome emerged, looking somewhat more awake than before. "Good morning Hermione," she smiled at the girl, _"Morning Inuyasha," _she kissed him chastely on the lips.

"_Morning yourself, Kagome," _Inuyasha grinned and whispered in her ear, _"Do you have any idea how sexy you look in the morning? All sleepy-eyed with that messed up hair?" _Kagome blushed and pushed away. Inuyasha let her. Seemed like she was in a good mood this morning and he was not about to ruin it just yet.

"You're terrible," she said back at him.

"Of course I am," he smirked, leaning confidently against the wall, "I had myself quite the reputation even before you came along and we killed Naraku,"

Kagome smiled, remembering how the villagers had acted around him for the first couple of weeks after she had released him from the goshinboku.

"That's right, you did. The Great and Terrible Inuyasha, son of the Great and Terrible Sugimi-sama, former Lord of the Western Lands," She cooed.

"And I didn't even use my family to build my rep," he boasted.

"Didn't have to,"

"Didn't want to,"

"That too," she winked at Hermione, "Now, Inuyasha, I know you don't like Sesshoumaru much but I want him to bring my family here when the baby's due. And I want him to stay as well,"

"What?" Inuyasha yelped, pushing away from the wall. "You're kidding right? Why Sesshoumaru?"

"Because he's your brother. He's going to be this kid's uncle. If my side of the family can come why can't yours?"

"Cuz we hate each other," he reasoned.

She frowned. "Sesshoumaru never hated you, you know,"

"Oh, now it's _your_ memory that's going, Kagome, or have you forgotten all those times he nearly killed me?"

"But you have to notice that he never _did_ kill you. He could have, many times, but he used excuses like it was 'dishonorable to kill an unconscious opponent' or that 'he had no time to bother with such a trivial matter when he had lands to run.' He could have, but he didn't" she nodded, "And didn't you get stronger after every battle with him?"

"Well... But that's not the point!"

"Oh? I asked him about it, you know. He admitted that he was trying to train you in the only way he knew how. You hated him so it's not like he could just up and offer his help,"

"I still hate him!" Inuyasha protested. Kagome smiled.

"Yet you still stick around when he comes over with the girls,"

"Oh shut up,"

Kagome snickered. "So the Big Bad Hanyou has a soft spot for his nieces,"

"I'm not soft!"

"No, you just have a soft spot for adorable little three-quarter youkai girls wielding Hello Kitty paraphernalia,"

Inuyasha scowled darkly. Kagome giggled some more and kissed him on the lips.

"I have class, if you promise to be good then I'll let you come along," she said sweetly.

"And if I don't promise?"

"Then you can go into the lovely forest and do some hunting,"

"You're just doing this magic stuff? Nothing dangerous?"

"Promise," she smiled, "And if it will help I'll give you a charmed bracelet that will tell you if I feel like I'm in danger,"

"Where's that bracelet," he muttered, giving in. The forest was calling seductively to his instincts, he needed to get outside the stone walls. Kagome skipped back inside the bedroom and returned holding a beaded bracelet that looked something like the necklace of subjugation.

"Just give me a second to set the spell in place and you can have it," she said and started pushing chairs and sofas out of the way, clearing a circle in the center of the common room. Kneeling in the center of the circle she placed the bracelet before her on the stone floor. She clasped her hands together, the pointer and thumbs pointing upwards, and bowed her head. Once settled in a prayer-like position she began chanting. Pink energies flared up around her, creating a whirling vortex of power. Quickly they solidified together and sunk into the waiting bracelet. The bracelet glowed as Kagome finished chanting and only subsided when she reached out to pick it up.

"There," She said, tying it around Inuyasha's wrist, "With the amount of energy I put in it, it should work even across the well," she smiled.

"You sure?" Inuyasha looked somewhat skeptical. It was not that he doubted her abilities - far from that - he just had to be sure.

"You'll just have to trust me on it because I'm not about to jump out of a window to prove my point,"

"Good. Then I'll take the brat out for a couple of hours," he said. He opened a window and stepped onto the ledge.

"Inuyasha! Use the...door..." She trailed off when Inuyasha leapt out into the fresh morning air. Both Kagome and Hermione rushed to the windows.

"But we're on the sixth story! He's going to kill himself!" Hermione panicked.

"No," Kagome said watching her husband float to the ground, "Inuyasha's landed from higher heights, I'm just trying to train him to use a door,"

Inuyasha landed softly in a crouch and sprinted to the forest. He could feel his claws lengthening in anticipation. The trees loomed forwards and the hanyou vanished in the foliage like the master hunter that he was.

"Why did he jump?" Hermione cried.

"It's quicker," Kagome sighed.

"Quicker? What good is quicker if it could get you killed!"

"I told you he's landed from higher heights. Don't worry about him, he's half youkai so he's not limited the ways us humans are," the miko patted her friend on the shoulder, trying to calm her down with reason, "Then again, since he's half youkai it also means that he's bound by a lot more than us humans..."

"Like what?" Hermione was diverted. Kagome led the way out of the guest suite.

"Well, instinct, for one. He's a half blood inuyoukai, a dog youkai, so he can't stand staying indoors for too long. This is why I convinced him to go hunting. If he stays indoors for too long it could escalate into a bloodbath. Cabin fever multiplied exponentially with sharp, pointy claws added into the mix,"

"Ouch, sounds rough," Hermione winced.

"It can be," Kagome nodded, "but if you know when to kick him outside then everything works out. He's also very protective of what he considers his. His brother is like that too. A dog's loyalty, you know," she snickered. Hermione smiled.

"Is that why he's so protective of you?"

"Partly. It's more because I'm his family. He's never really _known_ his family, you see, so it's like he's trying to compensate by keeping what family he has now as safe as he can possibly manage. And ever since I got pregnant his protective instincts have spiked. And Sesshoumaru says it'll only get worse the further along I get," she groaned and rubbed her stomach absently.

"You mean it can get worse?" Hermione looked disbelieving. Kagome nodded.

"Oh, believe me it can. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time I hit the tenth month he'll be snarling at anyone who comes near me," at Hermione's alarmed expression Kagome hastened to reassure, "Don't worry, he's promised not to attack anyone without my express permission so everyone at the school is safe. If he gets out of hand I'll just call Sesshoumaru over and the two can spar until he calms down enough to be reasonable. Don't worry, I've got it all figured out,"

They turned into the classroom where McGonagall was waiting.

"You two are late," she said immediately.

"Please forgive use Professor," Kagome apologized and bowed, "I had to enchant a bracelet to give to Inuyasha so that he would feel comfortable in leaving me unguarded here in this castle,"

"Hmm," McGonagall pursed her lip, considering, "Forgiven. Now let us commence with the lesson, shall we? Miss Granger, you will begin the instruction,"

* * *

They stopped early that day only because Kagome was nearing the breaking point. Her concentration was wavering and her vision blurring. Inuyasha had returned around the time they stopped for lunch, bearing gifts of campfire cooked rabbit parts. While Hermione and McGonagall declined, Dumbledore and Kagome both had some, Kagome more than Dumbledore. She was used to Inuyasha's version of cooking and it did not bother at all now compared to when she was first pulled into the past.

"_Kagome, you have to eat more," _Inuyasha urged.

"_Oh yeah? Just yesterday you said that I was eating more than a pig," _Kagome snorted but allowed Inuyasha to pile more food on her plate.

"_I didn't say you were eating more than a pig,"_ he protested.

"_You implied it,"_

"_Did not,"_

"_Did too,"_

"_Whatever,"_ he brushed it off, _"So how were the lessons today?"_

"_Exhausting,"_ she sighed dramatically, theatrically slumping in her seat. Hermione and the two professors watched them with animated amusement and curiosity, _"This magic stuff is almost as hard as what Miroku-sama and Kikyou put me through when I was training under them,"_

"_That bad, eh?"_

"_To put it mildly. Although it's going to take some time for me to get the hang of channeling my energy through the wand, I think I'll get the hang of it pretty quickly," _

"_Good thing you pick things up pretty quickly,"_

"_Too bad that didn't help me pass high school,"_ Kagome sighed, her mood taking a dive. "I think that when I'm done here I'll try for my diploma,"

"Why?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome shook her head. Inuyasha would never understand the importance of an education in the modern world. "Because a high school diploma opens a lot of doors for people. Besides, how can people trust a miko who hasn't even managed to complete grade eleven yet? This world revolves around two things: money and education,"

"Why do you need high school to be a miko? You're already trained," he protested.

"Under Miroku-sama and Kikyou," Kagome giggled, "They've been very good instructors, which is why I'm so good at ceremonies and combat with sutras and the bow now,"

"And prayer scrolls," Inuyasha put in. Kagome nodded.

"And prayer scrolls, that's right. I even brought some of the ones I made back home just in case,"

"Where are they?"

Kagome pulled a scroll out of a pocket and handed it to her husband. Inuyasha unrolled a few inches to check that it was indeed a prayer scroll. It was. He handed it back to Kagome.

"What's a prayer scroll?" Hermione asked, trying to catch a glimpse of the rolled scroll. Kagome held it up so she could see.

"This is,"

"What is it for?" the girl pressed.

"Well," Kagome considered, "it's something like a focus or an amplifier, I guess," she shrugged.

"Hurts like the fury when she hit me with it and she wasn't even trying," Inuyasha swore. Kagome cringed.

"I said I was sorry! I didn't know that it would knock you out for three days,"

"Feh. Whatever," he mumbled. He did not hold a grudge, it was like the time he had practiced the wind scar on Kilala. He understood, he just was not going to say that in front of strangers.

"Can you use more than one at a time?" Hermione asked. Kagome nodded.

"Oh yes, I've gotten up to eight, but any more than that is hard to hold,"

"Eight?" Inuyasha yelped, "I don't even want to think of the damage you could cause with that!"

"Don't worry," Kagome patted his arm, "Unless another Naraku shows up I won't have to,"

"I'll kill him before you have to do anything with those things," he vowed darkly.

"But until then could you pass the fruit? I have a craving for bananas and jam,"

* * *

The month of 'catch up' study passed quickly. Inuyasha thoroughly explored the castle from the tower tops to the bottommost basements. Kagome progressed quickly through the six years of study she had missed with no mishaps. It was truly impressive. Hermione and her became fast friends and were often diverted into long conversations on their varying cultures and histories. They managed to bore Inuyasha to tears within five minutes. He quickly learned to retreat whenever they started chatting.

When the rest of the Professors arrived they were introduced to Inuyasha and briefed on Kagome's gravid condition. She was due in April, two months before the end of the term, so they could expect an interesting year ahead of them.

The night before the students arrived Kagome packed up their suitcases again to get ready to move into whatever house dorm she was sorted into. She fished out her student's robes, having ignored them for as long as possible and put one set aside to wear in the morning.

She crawled in bed and wrapped herself around Inuyasha and fell asleep almost instantly, something she had been doing since she had started cramming. Inuyasha hoped the pace of her studying would slow down. At the rate she was going it was taking more out of her than she could replace overnight and the dark shadows under her eyes that she covered up every morning was the physical proof.

The next morning dawned bright, with colourful clouds streaking the sky. Kagome smiled and stretched leisurely. Inuyasha's hand tightened on her swelling abdomen as he slept. She paused.

And shot out of the bed in a mad dash for the bathroom.

Inuyasha got there just in time to catch her hair and hold it out of the way. Kagome vomited violently, the heaving wracking her finely boned body fiercely. Inuyasha cringed with every retch. Yes, this was entirely his fault and he could blame no one else for her pain.

"And here I was hoping that it'd be a good morning today and this wouldn't happen. Guess I'm still dreaming," she groaned in between dry heaves. "I have got to find something for this,"

"Is there stuff that would help?" he asked, curious. It would be really, very nice there was, he thought.

"I hope so," she sat back, almost falling until Inuyasha caught her. "Thanks,"

"No problem," he smiled down at her. She looked away, groaning.

"I gotta brush my teeth. I'm going to hate anything minty fresh after this,"

Inuyasha chuckled and left her to her morning routine. He settled himself in the window seat and watched as the sun rose over the forest. That forest. It was filled with many strange and foreign creatures. None of them were any stronger than even Shippou but to a normal human they could be dangerous. And that lake. There was a giant creature Kagome called a squid that swum in its depths. Sometimes it swam along the surface and basked in the warm sun.

This place was not home but it held its own appeal.

He yawned, waiting for Kagome to come back to bed so he could go to sleep again. He was getting lazy here, he admitted to himself. Maybe once Kagome started 'proper classes' he would go out for training.

"I'm going back to bed, Inuyasha," Kagome said, padding out of the bathroom, "Are you coming?" He nodded and followed her.

Inuyasha did not go back to sleep despite being curled up under the covers with his mate. He heard everything that went on outside their room. He heard the little imp-creature that Hermione had called a house elf scurry in to do the routine cleaning. It did not matter that it was supposed to have a notice-me-not spell on it, he noticed.

About an hour after she had went back to sleep Kagome stirred once again.

"Feeling better?" he asked. She nodded and buried her nose closer to his chest, inhaling his scent.

"Yeah," she sighed. Inuyasha rubbed his hand carefully against her gravid belly. Kagome went boneless under his gentle ministrations.

"That feel good?" he whispered in her ear.

"Mmm, yeah. You can do my back too if you want to," she murmured, not opening her eyes. Inuyasha smiled and nudged her onto her stomach. He dug his hands into the muscles of her back working them until all of the knots were summarily dealt with.

"Ready to face the day?" he asked. Kagome groaned.

"I'm just dreading writing the essays,"

"Essays?"

"You'll find out,"

* * *

**AN:** Mood swings and morning sickness. And I really like the prayer scrolls. They're not much, sort of like really long, rolled up sutras that act as amplifiers for holy energy. They will be used later on, just so you know. It's not going to be something that Sessha-chan writes in and forgets about. I like them too much! 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 4**

**Kagome, meet Hat**

Hermione helped Kagome change quickly into her school robes. The little miko had come to the British girl asking her to help her, as she trusted neither herself nor Inuyasha to get the confounded things on right. Nevertheless, Hermione had the art of wearing robes explained in minutes and soon they were all rushing down to the great hall for the Sorting Feast. McGonagall had told Kagome that she and her husband were to wait in one of the side rooms until the first years entered. Then she would be sorted after everyone else.

Hermione wished her luck before she rushed away to sit with her friends. Kagome clutched Inuyasha's hand desperately. Inuyasha tightened his grip, squeezing reassuringly. All to soon Kagome was called into the hall to stand with, but still separate from, the first years. The general murmur of the seated student rose at the arrival of the strange looking couple. Kagome's grip on Inuyasha tightened to near painful.

"Just breathe, Kagome," Inuyasha advised softly. His golden eyes scanned the crowd of student warily, "I'll protect you from anything, I promise,"

Kagome nodded and loosened her death-grip on his hand.

They watched as McGonagall placed a tattered hat on a stool and stood to one side. Inuyasha growled when the hat began to sing and it took all of Kagome's willpower to keep from giggling at the absurdity of him considering a singing hat dangerous.

Soon McGonagall started calling the first years forward starting with a tiny girl called Jessica Abbotson and running straight through to Fredrick Zbyoski.

Kagome's grip tightened again.

"This year, as you will notice," said Dumbledore, standing, "We have one more student. Mrs. Kagome Taisho is an exemplary student from Tokyo Japan and will be studying here at Hogwarts for the duration of this term," there was a spattering of confused applause. As far as anyone knew there had never been any foreign students at Hogwarts before. And who was the other?

"Kagome Taisho," McGonagall called. Kagome released Inuyasha and strode confidently forwards. All she had to do was put the hat on. That was not hard. Not even dangerous.

She picked up the tattered hat, sat down on the stool and put the hat on her head, not wanting to think what small life forms it could be harboring. It looked like it had not been washed in years!

_Hello, Miko,_ said a voice inside her head. Kagome's carefully constructed mental defenses snapped up and she yanked the hat off.

The hall was silent. Inuyasha looked like was trying not to rush right to her side. The students could not understand what had happened. The Professors were confused.

Why did she take the hat off?

"_Stay out of my head," _She snarled.

"Mrs. Taisho, would you please put the hat back on,"

"No."

Everyone was taken aback. Had she just talked back to a Professor?

"Mrs. Taisho, you need to be sorted into a house," McGonagall tried to reason.

"I will not have something in my head again,"

"I assure you that the Sorting Hat is harmless,"

Kagome considered, standing still. After some long minutes she nodded and crammed the hat back on. "It'd better be quick or I swear that I'll let Inuyasha use it for target practice,"

_Sorry for startling you._

_Make it quick. If I think you're getting out of line I'll give you to my husband to sharpen his claws on._

_Deal._ The hat sounded nervous,_ Let's see... well, no need to dither over something so obvious._

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted to the hall.

Kagome yanked the hat off and tossed it on the stool. She met up with Inuyasha and they made their way to the table Hermione was sitting at. Hermione made room beside her so they could sit next to someone they knew.

"Kagome, why'd you take the hat off?" she asked once they had settled themselves. Kagome shuddered.

"Let's just say I've had too many people in my head and leave it at that,"

"So, who're you guys?" asked a black haired boy across from them.

"My name is Kagome Taisho," Kagome smiled, "This is my husband, Inuyasha Taisho,"

"You're married?" exclaimed several students around them. Kagome dropped her head to the table, narrowly missing a plate.

"Why is it that everyone here thinks that us being married is strange?" Inuyasha asked no one in particular.

"I've told you, Inuyasha, that getting married at sixteen is rare in this society. Just like back in Japan," Kagome groaned, her head still on the table.

"Yes, they're married," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"When'd you get married?" asked a girl with long red hair.

"About a year ago," Kagome answered, sitting up.

"How old are you?"

"I'm seventeen,"

"Why'd you get married so young?"

Kagome considered. "Probably because I spent so much time where Inuyasha was from. There they still get married at a very young age," she said thoughtfully, "That and I love this idiot,"

"Where are you from, Inuyasha?" asked the black haired boy. Inuyasha glared.

"None of your business," he growled. Kagome elbowed him in the ribs.

"Inuyasha, be nice,"

"So why are you studying here at Hogwarts?" asked the red haired girl.

"Well, I got the acceptance letter and decided to come. It's going to be interesting studying just magic. Back home I had both high school and training to be a Traditional Miko. It was difficult,"

"What's a miko?" asked a red haired boy that looked remarkably similar to the red haired girl.

"Me. I'm a miko. A miko is a type of priestess. A Traditional Miko, like myself, can wield the pure holy magics of the gods,"

"Wicked!" he said in awe.

"Unless, of course," Inuyasha snorted, "you happen to be on the wrong end of it,"

"Well, you can count your lucky stars that _I _haven't shot you," Kagome grinned and tweaked a furry ear.

"Yeah, whatever,"

"Are those-" said yet another boy with red hair.

"Cat ears?" ended another boy that looked just like the last.

"Wicked!" They said together. Inuyasha looked disturbed.

"Kagome..."

"Twins," Kagome explained, "Identical twins,"

"That's right! I'm Fred," said the first.

"And I'm George," said the second.

"Nice to meet you, Fred, George," Kagome smiled.

"So why do you-"

"Have cat ears?" they asked.

"Because I'm half youkai. And their dog ears, not cat ears," Inuyasha explained grudgingly, trying to be polite for Kagome's sake.

"Youkai?"

"Animal spirits," Kagome sighed, her head dropping to the table once more. "Youkai are like animal spirits, but with a conscious, cognitive, human-like side,"

"_Better than calling us demons," _Inuyasha muttered.

"_That's what I thought," _she murmured back.

"Animal spirits?" the black haired boy peered at them, "Then what kind of animal spirit are you?"

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and noticed how was scowling fiercely at the students.

"Inuyasha is a half human dog-spirit," she conceded, answering when it was clear that Inuyasha would not.

"Half human?" said someone else. Inuyasha nodded sharply.

"What about it?" he snapped. Kagome giggled. He always got testy when it came to his lineage. But of course he had heard her, "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry Inuyasha," she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with mirth, "You're just so cute when you get all defensive like that,"

Everyone around her stared at her like she was insane. A ticked off Inuyasha wasn't cute, he was down right freaky!

"Me? Cute? You have got to be kidding!"

"Nope! I'm hungry," she smiled cheerfully, not even really noticing that she had changed the subject.

"Then eat," he grumbled. Kagome kept on smiling as she piled her plate high with everything within reach. She even stacked some on Inuyasha's plate when he did not take enough to suit her.

They had missed out on Dumbledore's beginning of the year speech thanks to the little interrogation period. Hermione complained but everyone else just shrugged it off. He said pretty much the same thing every year after all.

Kagome and Inuyasha left with the Gryffindors to their tower. Inuyasha snorted at hiding the door behind a painting of some fat lady and Kagome snickered. It did seem strange.

The Gryffindor common room was brightly lit and decorated in the house colours of red and gold. Kagome paused.

"_Where do we sleep?" _she whispered to her husband. Inuyasha shrugged.

"_Want me to sniff out our stuff?"_

"_Can you?"_

Inuyasha took a deep breath and pointed to a stairway to their left. _"That's where the scent is coming from," _he said.

"_Let's go check it out, then,"_

Kagome skipped up the stairs. When she reached a door and opened it she gasped in pleasant surprise. It was another, smaller, common room. More stairs led upwards across the room. Kagome scurried forwards to explore some more. At the head of the stairs was another level with a bedroom and a bathroom. The bedroom had all of their suitcases stacked in one corner, waiting to be unpacked. After an initial once over Inuyasha declared the suite acceptable and allowed Kagome to drag him back downstairs to where all the other Gryffindor students were gathered.

* * *

"Hey! Hands off the ears!" Inuyasha yelped when he felt yet another ghostly pair of hands touch his adorable ears. He moved to put Kagome between him and the crowd of 'admirers' that were bent on seeing, or feeling rather, for themselves that his canine ears were the real McCoy.

"Now, now," Kagome tried to calm her husband down and dispel the crowd at the same time. "Yes, for the last time, yes his ears are real. His hair is naturally silver, it runs in his family. His father had silver hair and so does his brother. And no, his brother is married already. Married with two daughters of his own, I might add. Now if you would all please just leave him alone since he too is taken," she turned on her own glare, a formidable weapon when used. Slowly, too slowly for Inuyasha's tastes, the crowd moved away.

"Wow, Kagome," Hermione said, "You can look very frightening sometimes,"

"Only sometimes?" Kagome laughed, "I suppose that that's a good thing. It wouldn't do to scare the patrons of the shrine away with a frightening Miko,"

"I wouldn't mind," Inuyasha said, stretching himself out on one of the sofas. Kagome curled up next to him.

"I know you wouldn't mind, but momma would," she looked up into his eyes, "and so would Grandpa. Souta hasn't been trained yet but when he starts showing powers like me I'll make sure he becomes the best Priest in all of Tokyo,"

"Just make sure he doesn't take after Miroku,"

"Oh, don't worry, if I have any say in the matter Souta will never be anything like Miroku,"

"Who's Miroku?" asked Harry, the black haired boy from dinner.

"A pervert," answered Inuyasha. Kagome hit him on the arm.

"Miroku is a priest from where Inuyasha is from. He's very powerful and wise but he...well, he has a wandering hand. Sango, his fiancé, is working to cure that malady,"

"Malady," Inuyasha laughed, grinning wickedly.

"Oh hush, you. Miroku was, is, also one of my teachers," Kagome continued. "But I haven't been training with him for a few months now, for personal medical reasons,"

"Oh," he he nodded slowly, "So you're a trained priestess?"

"Mostly trained, yes. I'll be training some more when Inuyasha and I get back home,"

"Until then, your younger brother is the resident spiritualist at the shrine, right Kagome?" Hermione said.

Kagome nodded. "That's right. I've been training him for the past couple of months. Gandpa would like to think he can handle things, but his spiritual power as weakened over time and they're not… trustworthy,"

"_Or even there,"_ Inuyasha commented under his breath. Kagome rolled her eyes at him.

"_Just don't tell him that,"_

"_I'm not stupid,"_

Kagome coughed lightly into her hand and smiled innocently.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"Inuyasha just said something that was particularly amusing, is all. You'd really have to know my family to understand it," she waved a hand at him. Inuyasha frowned.

Harry nodded uncertainly, "Okay,"

Ron pulled out a chess board and challenged his friend to a game, drawing the Boy Who Lived away from the foreign couple. Hermione stayed for a few more minutes before drifting off to a comfortable chair to read her Arithmancy text.

Kagome listened to the swirling conversations around her with half an ear. It had been a long day. She sighed and leaned just a little more into Inuyasha. Perhaps she could just rest her eyes. She would not go to sleep just yet.

Inuyasha listened as his mate's breathing evened out. She had fallen asleep again. He wondered idly if she meant to fall asleep so often and so abruptly. But knowing Kagome, probably not.

Silently he gathered her into his arms and walked out of the Gryffindor common room and up into their own little tower. Harry, Ron and Hermione were some of the few people that noticed his quite departure.

"What's wrong with Kagome? Why'd she just fall asleep like that?" asked Ron, looking up from his game to address Hermione. Hermione shrugged.

"She's just tired, I guess," she smiled enigmatically.

"Strange ones, aren't they?"

"I wouldn't say that," said Harry, "Different, but not really strange,"

"I think they're hiding something," Ron declared.

"Now why would you think that, Ron?" asked Hermione.

"Just look at them! Why'd she _really_ get married so young? And why to something that's not even human? And why is she coming to Hogwarts _now?_"

"You're paranoid, Ron," Hermione sighed. "She married Inuyasha because she loves him and he's half human so you can't say he's not human. And she's coming to Hogwarts now because _now_ is when she was invited. Really, Ron, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have invited her if he thought she was going to harm anyone here in any way,"

"Maybe not Kagome but what about Inuyasha? He looks dangerous enough,"

"He promised Kagome not to harm anyone here unless she gives him express permission. And I can't see her doing that,"

"But-"

"Oh, just leave it Ron," and Hermione got up and disappeared up to the Girl's dorm.

"Great, the year hasn't even started and already she's mad at me!"

Harry just had to grin at Ron's predicament.

* * *

**AN:** Can you really blame Kagome for freaking out over the hat? I mean really. After Tsubaki and Menomaru and all those other people traipsing around in her head you can't blame her for wanting to be careful. And I actually had to use that explanation of what youkai are in a Creative Writing class I took since one of the stories I handed in featured a kitsune youkai, his human wife and their hanyou daughter. I think I only confused the poor people in my class (with the exception of maybe five Anime lovers such as myself). Oh well. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 5**

**Blood: It's in You to Give**

Kagome was doing fine in all of her classes, excelled even. She had signed up for transfiguration, herbology, divination (she soon agreed with most of the other students that Treylawney was cracked in the head), Defense against the Dark Arts (which Inuyasha though pointlessly pathetic and Kagome found amusing to no end) and Muggle Studies. After the first couple of classes Inuyasha, who had been bored to tears, had agreed that he might as well take the time she was studying to train.

He had been doing that for several months now and Kagome had only just started insisting that since the weather was changing to fall, it being the middle of October now, that he dress warmer. She knew, of course that Inuyasha only did it to humor her and was taking off the coat and scarves once he was out of eyeshot.

The students had slowly gotten used to the silver-haired hanyou in their midst. Most of the time he was almost even pleasant to be around. The rest of the time it was wisest to avoid him at any and all costs. But that was only either when Kagome was feeling particularly ill or during the days of the new moon. Every other day, under the watchful eye of Kagome, Inuyasha was almost cheery.

Until someone pushed Kagome down some stairs when he was gone, that is.

Inuyasha had grown accustomed to the bracelet around his wrist changing colours with the moods of his mate. Pink for happiness, blue for sadness, green when she was tired. Most of the time it was white, the colour of calm serenity, with pink flecks dancing around the surface of the beads.

It had not flashed a dark, searing hot black until...

Kagome had been walking between classes. She had learned a lot about this school during her time there. Not just about magic, but about the divisions and politics between the students. She was a Gryffindor, so the students from Slytheren naturally held a certain amount of animosity towards her. She was foreign and from an undetermined lineage, so the 'pure blood' fanatics disliked her. She was married to someone only half human, so... well, the addition is not that complicated.

It happened in the bustle of the hallway, students pushing and hurrying to get to their classes on time. Kagome had just reached the top of a flight of stairs when she felt a ghostly pair of hands shove her backwards. She fell down the stone stairs, her heat filling with terror. Her arms protected her stomach as best she could, but...

Inuyasha raced towards his mate, the bracelet burning on his wrist, his heart filled with an intense fear he had never experienced before. He had been outside when the burning began. He knew instantly what it meant. As he raced into the castle and through the halls students were tossed out of his way and he left behind claw marked stone from when he had had to scrabble for purchase.

Inuyasha found her curled, prone and helpless, at the foot of a lengthy flight of stairs, students crowding around her. With a feral snarl he pushed them away, his eyes bleeding blood red and jagged stripes blooming on his cheeks despite tessaiga at his side. He tossed the closest bodily away from his injured mate before snatching her up into his arms and dragging her to the edge of the hall, snarling at anyone who dared get close. She was injured, he could tell. He could smell blood.

"_Inu...yasha..." _she gasped, tears in her eyes, _"It hurts. The baby..."_

Inuyasha's growling increased, frightening off more students. He raked his wrist against a fang, tearing the skin and allowing blood to flow. With an abnormally sharp claw, he did the same thing to her wrist. After pressing the two wounds together he fished inside Kagome's pocket for one of her prayer scrolls. He did not care if it could be considered sacrilegious, he needed something to bind their wrists together and he needed it _now_.

When they were securely bound, Inuyasha turned his glittering red gaze onto the watching, frightened crowd. It was not just students now, some professors had joined the disturbed audience. Inuyasha continued growling.

"Inuyasha!" it was Hermione, "Kagome? What happened?"

"Stay back!" snarled Inuyasha in a sharp warning. "Stay back!"

"Mr. Taisho," started professor Flitwick, stepping forward a little. Inuyasha snarled at him, scooting back even further. In his currant state of mind the only thing he could focus on was the need to keep Kagome safe. She was injured and he did not know who inflicted the injury. Until he found out who, everyone would be considered an enemy. The id completely overran his ego and instinct was the only thing he knew.

"Mr. Taisho," Flitwick tried again.

Inuyasha flexed his free hand, claws flashing dangerously. The diminutive professor wisely stepped back.

"I think we should leave him, Professor," Hermione said hesitantly, her eyes not leave the mated couple, "Kagome said that if anything happened to her then Inuyasha could loose himself to his youkai instincts. She said that there would be no reasoning with him but he would only attack if he perceived there was an open threat against either of them,"

"In that case," Dumbledore said from behind her, "Everyone back to classes immediately,"

Students slowly left the gruesome scene, moving under the pressure of the professor's combined will and efforts.

Kagome stirred. She turned her pain-filled gaze up to her husband's glittering red eyes, _"Inuyasha," _she murmured, _"It'll be okay, I promise,"_

It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on the hanyou. His eyes snapped back to their normal gold, the stripes vanished from his cheeks and the constant growling ceased.

"_Kagome," _he whispered. And passed out.

* * *

Inuyasha woke in a bad mood. He did not recognize the room he was in. The smell of over-sterilization bothered his nose. And the sunlight was shining directly into his eyes. The only redeeming factor was Kagome tucked neatly into his arms, their wrists still bound by the bloodied prayer scroll. The sight of the prayer scroll darkened his bad mood exponentially.

"You're up,"

Inuyasha turned to glance at Hermione, Ron and Harry, all three of whom were seated on a cot in front of him.

"You can state the obvious," he frowned, pushing himself upright, careful of his bound wrist. With immense care he settled Kagome more comfortably beside him and started unwrapping the prayer scroll.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked. Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow at her.

"What? This?" he asked. She nodded. "It's called bloodhealing. A youkai, even a hanyou, heals faster than a human. If a youkai transfers blood into an injured human the human will heal faster and better than normal. Only I can perform it on Kagome since she's a miko and her body automatically rejects youkai blood,"

"But her body accepts you because you're half human," Hermione hypothesized.

Inuyasha nodded and dropped the soiled scroll on his lap in favor of his mate's wrist. There was not even a scar to show for the abuse it had gone through hours before. He moved on to check on the child growing in her womb. "She said some stuff about how my youkai _dee en aay_ was fused with human _dee en aay_ and that's why she doesn't purify it automatically. Hey, it worked," he paused, hand lightly touching the slightly distended belly. He could feel the life still strong, pulsing just as it should be. "So what are you guys doing here? I thought I would have scared everyone off after I lost control like that,"

"We were worried," Hermione said softly, "How's Kagome doing?"

"She's better. She'll live. The baby's okay too. I managed to get there in time," he nodded slowly, frowning.

"Why didn't you guys tell us she was pr-pre-preg..." Ron blushed. Hermione tutted disapprovingly.

"Pregnant, Ron? And why should they?"

"Because we're her friends!"

"So? It wasn't our business to know,"

"She was worried," Inuyasha said softly, catching their attention, "You guys, everyone here really, had reacted in such a negative way to the fact we were married that she was scared what you might think if you knew she was pregnant too,"

"How, uh, far along is she?" asked Harry.

"About five months,"

"So she's got four more to go," said Hermione sitting back on her stool. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Nope, she's got five more months. Hanyou pregnancies are different than pure human or pure youkai pregnancies,"

"How do you know?"

"I was listening when the doctor Sesshoumaru hired was talking to her," he shrugged.

"Who's Sesshoumaru?" asked Harry.

"My older brother,"

"What'll happen when Kagome's due?" Hermione asked.

"Well, Kagome's plan, and I haven't agreed to all of it but she'll end up getting her own way no matter what I say, is that Sesshoumaru will bring her mother, grandpa and her brother, Souta, here a week or so before she's due. I don't like this because she wants Sesshoumaru to stay too,"

"I take it that you two don't like each other?" asked Harry. Inuyasha grinned, pained.

"Well, that's putting it just a little mildly," he said, "But she also wants Sesshoumaru to bring the doctor he hired because the doctor is youkai and has a background in hanyou deliveries,"

"Why does Kagome want Sesshoumaru here if you don't like him so much?"

"So that if I get out of hand there will be someone around who can handle me," the hanyou admitted sourly, "You saw how I was today. If anything had kept me from Kagome bad things would have happened. So she wants Sesshoumaru here to make sure that those bad things don't happen,"

"I guess that makes sense," Harry nodded.

Inuyasha looked over to where tessaiga was resting near the bed, "It's a good thing I was wearing tessaiga," he murmured to himself.

"Oh?" Hermione cocked her head to one side, "Why is that?"

"Tessaiga is the seal on my youkai blood. Without it, whenever I'm fighting, my control on my sanity is limited. Though it's strange that it allowed me to transform even that much. Guess it thought that protecting Kagome was a good enough reason. And it did keep my mind clear enough that I could perform a bloodhealing ritual,"

"So the tessaiga allowed you to transform?" Hermione asked, trying to understand. Inuyasha nodded.

"Tessaiga was created as a sword that protects," he went on, "I guess it understood that the only way it could help me help Kagome was to let my youkai blood loose,"

"That is a good thing to hear, Mr. Taisho," said Dumbledore as he came into the room. "Good afternoon Poppy, children," he nodded to everyone and smiled little.

"Professor,"

"What're you doing here, old man?" Inuyasha asked. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Worried about you and Kagome, that is all," he assured, "And hoping that you will allow me to deal with whoever did this," Inuyasha growled and glared.

"Not likely,"

"We'll see about that," Kagome muttered.

"Ah! Kagome, you are awake," Dumbledore moved closer.

"Inuyasha, you will not be maiming, dismembering, disemboweling, torturing or in any other ways 'dealing with' whoever did this. Your way of dealing with people like that usually ends up with me performing a funeral ceremony," Kagome still had not bothered to open her eyes or to even move.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said, his voice harsh with pent up emotion, "they almost killed you and the baby," he tightened his grip on her, clinging desperately to his budding family.

"Let me take care of whoever did it. I assure you that my way is a lot less bloody," Kagome grinned and cracked an eye open. "Good old-fashioned psychological torture," she laughed, "I did manage to learn something useful from my escapades, after all. Naraku was a good teacher, even if I hate his guts and wish him reincarnated as an earthworm,"

"Mrs. Taisho, while I understand your wish for vengeance I must insist that you turn the matter over to me," Dumbledore said seriously.

"I can get my vengeance even after you have dealt with them, Professor," Kagome reasoned, "or I can be the only one doing the punishing,"

"Mrs. Taisho..." he said warningly.

Kagome glared. "If I could have it my way, or if we were back where I married Inuyasha, whoever did this would be pinned to a tree by yours truly for a century by a sacred arrow through their heart. They nearly killed my baby,"

"Kagome..." Inuyasha caught her attention, "Tell me you haven't learned that spell from Kikyou,"

Kagome shrugged. "It was one of the first she taught me. Funny isn't it?"

"Not really. She has a cruel sense of humor," he muttered.

"But she's an excellent miko," she reasoned with a smile. The smiled dropped as she turned back to the Headmaster, "Don't worry Professor," Kagome relented under the weight of Dumbledore's frown, "We'll turn them over to you first, and we won't do anything harmful to them afterwards. We promise,"

"You promise," Inuyasha disagreed. Kagome glared.

"_We promise. Or you get the couch Inuyasha," _she snapped the threat in Japanese so that she would not embarrass him too much. Inuyasha nodded grudgingly.

"Feh. Whatever," he looked away, crossing his arms and pouting somewhat like a child.

"_Thank you, Inuyasha," _she kissed him softly on the cheek, making him blush.

"I have arranged with your professors to give you a few days out of classes," Dumbledore said, "after such an ordeal it is understandable to need some time to recover,"

"Thank you Professor," Kagome smiled. Inuyasha nodded, his silent way of saying thank you.

"_I still say we hang 'em by their toenails," _he grumbled. Kagome nudged him in the side with her elbow again.

"_I'm still up for the psychological torture,"_

"_Yeah, but that takes too long,"_

"_But it lasts ever so much longer and the scars can't be seen by anyone other than the tortured. And just think of it, Inuyasha, she could forever be scared to death of, oh, little things like window curtains or tablecloths…" _

Inuyasha paused, his attention caught. _"You can do that?"_

"_You bet your booties I can. Just give me some dental floss, a barbless fishhook, a mirror or two and presto!" _she clapped her hands together and grinned. Of course, everyone but Inuyasha was eyeing her suspiciously.

Inuyasha sighed. _"Fine, we'll do it your way. Pft, subtle,"_

Kagome turned back to Dumbledore, "Professor, we have agreed to allow you to deal out a suitable punishment to the guilty party," she informed him. He nodded and swept out of the hospital wing.

"And if your punishment isn't deemed suitable by both myself and Inuyasha," she continued quietly after he had left, "we will take matters into our own hands and make sure the guilty party will never look at decorative fabrics the same way again,"

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"Decorative fabrics?"

"Kagome, what are you planning?"

Kagome giggled but did not answer.

* * *

**AN:** AH! I can't believe I did that to Kagome and the kid! What kind of fiend am I to do that to someone! Sessha-chan is wallowing in self-loathing. But I have to admit that I love the chapter title. I think it's the motto-thingy for the Canadian blood… thingy. Sorry, I can't remember right now and I don't have anything that could tell me. Not that it really matters, right? But, gees, is Kagome ever scary. Psychological torture? Mean stuff! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 6**

**Good Old-Fashioned Psychological Torture**

The perpetrator was identified as a Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin. Pansy was subsequently escorted to Dumbledore's office to receive her punishment. Kagome was admitted back into her classes, this time with Inuyasha shadowing her every movement.

It did not take long for word to spread that Pansy was being sent home until after Christmas Break and that she would have to make up all of the work she missed in the two months she would be gone when she got back. Kagome was satisfied, but she still wanted her own revenge. Call it petty, call it childish, she knew it was.

* * *

It was not long after Pansy had returned that her real punishment began. Kagome and Inuyasha had rigged almost the entire school with carefully hidden fishing line and mirrors. The whole setup would have made the Weasley twins proud if they had a clue as to what was going on.

First it was little things such as curtains that would draw themselves open and closed without human or magical aid, and tablecloths that seemed to sew themselves to her clothing as she sat. By the end of a week the Slytherin girl was starting to look quite nervous.

But that was not the end. Soon the curtains would shift and move as if there were someone hiding behind them, but no one was there. This happened everywhere she went, classrooms, library, as well as her own dorm room. It was as if some vengeful, but pacifistic, ghost was haunting her.

Kagome was well pleased, inordinately proud of her handiwork and Inuyasha had to admit that this psychological torture stuff had its merits. It was not long before Pansy had to spend a week in the hospital wing in order to regain a bare hint of a sane state of mind.

Yes, the Taisho family was well pleased.

And so the school year progressed pleasantly. The Gryffindor girls were ecstatic to find out that Kagome was actually going to have a baby – and that that was the reason why Pansy got such a harsh punishment – and that she was due before the end of term.

The residents of the Gryffindor tower had grown used to the morning ritual of distantly slammed doors and the sounds of retching. Therefore hardly anyone paid attention when there was a sudden clatter from upstairs. They could hear doors being slammed open and someone unwillingly emptying the contents of her stomach. Hermione and the boys looked ill. It was becoming something of a ritual.

"Morning sickness," Hermione sighed. It was strange. Hermione was on the receiving end of many complaints about how much this pregnancy was making Kagome hurt in ways she thought impossible yet Kagome was still glowing with joy at the fact she was going to have a baby. More so now that she had almost lost the child.

It was strange indeed. Something Kagome had said that she needed to experience in order to understand.

As Kagome's stomach grew and her back and feet began to pain her even more she found humor in looking in the mirror and commenting that it looked like she had some kind of alien growth. Inuyasha said that it looked like she had swallowed a giant watermelon whole. But he said that with great caution. He did not want to start her crying because she thought he called her fat.

Hermione and some of the other Gryffindor girls shadowed Kagome around, baby-fever running high. As the months came and when Inuyasha managed to scare off all but Hermione. Kagome would frown at him but otherwise said nothing, even when she got so lonely that she was moved to hysterical tears. Thankfully for Inuyasha's nerves, those did not last long.

* * *

"Inuyasha? Have you seen my cell phone?" Kagome asked, rummaging through their room, tossing everything on the bed. Inuyasha, who was lounging in the doorway, shrugged.

"No,"

"Well, could you help me look? I need to find it," she said, her head buried in the closet. Inuyasha shrugged again. He had nothing better to do. It did not take long for the hanyou to locate the little piece of technology. Kagome had left it in her purse, something she had not been carrying around since they arrived at Hogwarts.

"Oi, here it is, Kagome," he tossed it to his mate. Kagome caught it and gave him a quick hug and a kiss.

"Thank you so much Inuyasha!" she giggled, flipping it open. She frowned when it did not work. "Now what's wrong?"

"No signal?"

"No power at all," she grimaced, "well, let's try something different then,"

Kagome went down to their common room, Inuyasha trailing along after her, curious as to what she had planned. The little miko started shoving furniture out of the way again. Inuyasha stopped her before she had moved the first chair too far and did the heavy work for her. She thanked him with another kiss and knelt down in the middle of the cleared area, the dead cell phone before her on the floor.

It was much like when she had enchanted the bracelet Inuyasha now wore. Her magic erupted around her, swirling in a violent vortex of power then condensing and filtering into the waiting cell phone. When all of the light was gone Inuyasha helped Kagome to her feet. Kagome flipped the phone open again and grinned when it lit up and found a signal.

"What did you do?"

"Gave it an anywhere, anytime phone plan," she quipped with a foxy grin. She dialed a number and waited for it to ring through. "Sesshoumaru? It's Kagome,"

"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha yelped, "What're you doing calling him?" Kagome ignored her husband.

"Yeah, I know you haven't been able to find us. I'm sorry about that. Yes, I'm really at a school for magic. You can track my cell phone, if you have to. I just fixed it so that it works here. It's got a GSP beacon, doesn't it? Well, use that. I'm sure you can do it,"

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, "Why are you calling my brother?"

"Hush, Inuyasha. I promised him. He's going to bring my family and the Doctor he hired here, so please don't complain," Kagome whispered back, "Sesshoumaru? You got the location? Good. You'll remember to bring my family? Wonderful! See you all in a few days,"

* * *

**AN:** Short. Sorry. But next chapter Sesshoumaru and everyone arrives at Hogwarts! 


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 7 **

**And the Cavalry Arrives! **

Kagome had been waiting impatiently all day. Sesshoumaru was due to arrive any moment today with both his family and hers. By the time dinner came around she had worried herself into a nervous mess. She pushed her food around absently on her plate all the while staring blankly at the table before her.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Hermione asked. Kagome did not hear.

"She's waiting for my brother to arrive with her family. Sesshoumaru said he'd be here today," Inuyasha answered.

"Your brother is coming?" Hermione was surprised.

"Who's Sesshoumaru?" asked Ron. Inuyasha scowled.

"My half-brother,"

"You have a brother,"

"And a sister-in-law and two nieces," Kagome said absently.

"What's your brother like?" asked Ginny.

"He's-" Inuyasha was interrupted by the doors to the great hall suddenly opening. Every head turned.

A girl scampered to the fore and stood regally by the side of the door.

"Announcing the honourable Higurashi family of the Sunset Shrine of Tokyo Japan," she said in a carrying voices.

Kagome gasped when her family walked through the doors and moved to one side, bowing.

"Announcing the sixth son of the Lord of the Southern Lands, Doctor Kyohei Kunimitsu,"

A tall, tawny haired nekoyoukai entered and bowed on the other side of the entrance, opposite the Higurashi family.

"Announcing the arrival of the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands, Lord of youkai, ruler of the lands of the Evening Sun, Lord Sesshoumaru Taisho and his Lady-wife Takiko Taisho, daughter of the Taiyoukai of the Eastern Lands. Also announcing their daughters: the crown princess, Lady Mei and the Lady Sachiko,"

Standing resplendent in the open entrance dressed in a stylish outfit consisting of dress shirt, blazer and slacks all in varying shades of blue and gray, his long silver hair loose, spilling down his back freely, the markings of his birthright displayed proudly and without cover, Sesshoumaru surveyed the crowd. By his side Lady Takiko smiled, amused at something unknown. She was dressed in a stormy blue and silver kimono and a dark red, elaborately tied and very long obi. Only the hair at her temples was pulled back and tied with a silver ribbon that contrasted sharply with the ebony colour.

Sesshoumaru nodded to the girl who announced them and she fell into line behind her father, grabbing hold of her younger sister's hand. The Taiyoukai led his family down the hall. Doctor Kunimitsu fell in behind the Taisho family and the Higurashi family took their place behind him.

The procession proceeded in complete silence. Every student was awed by the grand entrance of the guests. Dumbledore stood as they approached the Head Table.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," he bowed, "It is a pleasure and honour to have you and your illustrious family grace the halls of our school with your presence. We have been informed of your arrival and have taken the liberties of having quarters prepared for you and your party ahead of time,"

"We have come to attend my brother's wife. It has been many months since any accompanying this Sesshoumaru has seen either Lord Inuyasha or Lady Kagome," Sesshoumaru said regally.

"By all means, do what you please," Dumbledore smiled. Sesshoumaru nodded to the Headmaster and turned away.

Kagome jumped to her feet with a speed that someone as pregnant as she should not possess and darted down the table to crash into the group.

"_Sesshoumaru you brought everyone! Momma, Grandpa! How are you? Souta! You've grown so much! Takiko! You and I have so much to talk about. Mei, Sachiko, give me a hug you two,"_ she giggled madly, oblivious of the scene she had destroyed and the scene she had created in its place. She got her hugs from her nieces and some more from her family and Takiko.

"_Kagome, how are you feeling?" _asked her mother. Kagome laughed.

"_Fat, momma, very fat," _she led them to where Inuyasha had bullied people out of the way so that there was room. _"How have things been at home? No problems?"_

"_None, other than it's very quiet without you and Inuyasha making so much noise all the time,"_

"_Yeah,"_ said Souta, _"I kinda miss you guys fighting all the time,"_

"_Well, you're here now so I promise Inuyasha and I will fight over something with you around to hear,"_ Kagome winked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"_This Sesshoumaru is glad to find you in good health, my sister,"_ Sesshoumaru smiled a little. Several girls swooned.

"_Of course I'm doing well, how could I not be? But come on, sit down everyone," _She ordered. Sesshoumaru and the Doctor sat beside Inuyasha, much to the hanyou's disapproval. Kagome's family sat next to her. Kagome chatted constantly with her mother, mostly one-sided. She directed them to which of the foreign foods were best and which to avoid. By the end of the meal she had worked herself into such a tizzy that it took her mother several minutes to calm her down.

Kagome led them straightway after dinner to the Gryffindor common room so they could talk.

"_And Sesshoumaru in a suit!" _Kagome giggled, _"It looks so strange when I'm used to him in a kimono. I know, I know, but I keep picturing you in the kimono you wore back in the past when we first met,"_

"_I have not worn kimono such as those for a century at least,"_ Sesshoumaru mused, smiling a little into the fire. Several of the watching Gryffindor girls started fanning their faces. Kagome started giggling even harder.

"_You've already got a fanclub, Sesshoumaru,"_ she whispered. Sesshoumaru looked back and scowled.

"Wonderful," 

"_Pushing a thousand and your still breaking hearts,"_ Kagome sighed. Inuyasha snorted but everyone ignored him, _"I wonder what they'd think if they knew how old you were and that you were thoroughly mated,"_

"_It would not change anything," _Sesshoumaru sighed defeat, _"Trust this Sesshoumaru on that,"_

"_Yes, I'm sure it wouldn't,"_ Mrs. Higurashi nodded, _"Being a woman myself I can understand the attraction,"_ she winked at a grinning Takiko.

"_I'm just glad that I'm the one who managed to worm into his heart,"_ Takiko laughed and winked up at her mate.

"_Well, I don't know about you people,"_ said grandpa Higurashi, _"But I'm tired. My old bones aren't agreeing to all this travel,"_

"_I agree, we should all get some sleep,"_ said Mrs. Higurashi. _"The Headmaster gave me directions to get to the rooms they gave us. I'll take grandpa there now and if either you, Lord Sesshoumaru or the good Doctor could bring Souta when he's ready I would be grateful,"_ Sesshoumaru nodded, acknowledging her request.

"Kagome!" Hermione timidly made her way over to her friend. Kagome scooted over so that there was room for Hermione to sit beside her.

"Hermione, I'd like to introduce you to Lord Taisho Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older brother and Doctor Kunimitsu. My mother and grandfather just left to get some sleep,"

"Please to meet you," she smiled. Sesshoumaru nodded and the Doctor waved from where he sat at the card game.

"Sesshoumaru, Hermione was the one who helped me get caught up with all the other students when I first got here. She's top of her class here and has been a very good friend," said Kagome.

"Um, Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"We were wondering...well, that is they," she pointed to a group of girls, "were wondering if Lord Sesshoumaru would..."

"No." Sesshoumaru said with a definite air of finality. Hermione nodded and smiled.

"Good. Kagome told me you were married with kids, but they did not believe me. They kept on saying that you didn't look old enough to be married. Of course, they know practically nothing about youkai. I admit that I do not know all that much. There isn't a lot in the library, but Kagome has been very kind in answering my questions," she said, "She told me that youkai age much slower than humans and that they're practically immortal,"

"Kagome has the right of it," Sesshoumaru nodded, "Youkai do live for millennia if they are strong,"

"So how long will you be staying at Hogwarts?"

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha shrugged. He had gotten almost used to this future Sesshoumaru and honestly did not mind being around him as much as he acted. Besides, it made Kagome happy when they got along.

"Until after the birth of my brother's child. If all goes well that should happen within the next three weeks,"

"Unless the kid decides to take strongly after either me or Inuyasha," Kagome said, agreeing.

"Well," Hermione said, standing, "By the time you leave you should have quite the fanclub throughout the whole school,"

"_Wonderful,"_ Sesshoumaru groaned to himself. Inuyasha cracked a grin.

"_That's what you get for looking so pretty, Sesshoumaru,"_ he taunted from a safe distance. Sesshoumaru glared.

"Shut your mouth, hanyou," 

"_Now guys, break it up," _Kagome held up her hands, _"Inuyasha, be nice to your brother. It's not like it's his fault he's got a drop dead gorgeous face and a body to die for,"_

"_Hey! What about me?"_ Inuyasha protested.

Kagome just looked at her husband blankly, "What about you?" 

"_Kagome! Stop lusting after my brother!"_ he glared. Kagome looked puzzled.

"_Who's lusting after your brother? I was only pointing out the blatantly obvious. You have your own appeal, Inuyasha. Better, in my opinion," _she said, sliding closer to her husband, _"you can be ever so sweet, and you have a wonderful, honest smile. You hold my hair back when I'm sick – honestly I think that's the one that sold me on you. You've put your own life on the line just to save me time and time again, which has to count for something. You work hard at everything you think is worthwhile,"_ she listed, then finished with a whispered _"and you have the cutest ears I have ever seen, cuter than Shippou and Sesshoumaru's tails combined,"_

Inuyasha, blushing a little hung his head. Sesshoumaru smirked.

"_Oh shut up," _the hanyou growled at his brother. Kagome giggled and tugged him to his feet.

"_Excuse us,"_ She said to Sesshoumaru, _"I believe that I have some work to do on cheering up your brother,"_ she smiled before dragging Inuyasha up to their own little tower.

Sesshoumaru smiled, shaking his head. He still found it difficult to believe that his abrasive younger brother had found a mate that loved him for who and what he was without prejudice. It was hard to understand but it made the Taiyoukai happy nevertheless.

* * *

Indeed, Sesshoumaru did manage to have a fanclub created in his honour. It spanned the four houses, uniting the girls, and some of the less-than-straight guys, as nothing had before in the entire history of the school. Of course, Inuyasha thought that the whole mess was hilarious. Kagome did too, but she was not going to say that aloud. Sesshoumaru coped by ignoring everyone and everything he did not deem worthy of his attention and sticking close to his mate and daughters. 

Kagome got to know Doctor Kunimitsu better over the next few weeks as he monitored her progress with great care. She learned that he had been assisting with youkai and hanyou births for two centuries now and had been updating his M.D. as often as he could to keep up with the latest breakthroughs in medicine and technology. He had discussed Kagome's condition and how she was to be treated with Madam Pomfrey and explained everything that was going to happen with both Kagome and Inuyasha so that there would be no surprises.

As her due date neared Inuyasha shadowed Kagome everywhere she went. His instincts were in overdrive and the students learned very quickly that they should avoid the younger Taisho couple. Kagome hated it. She missed having people to talk to. Inuyasha's attitude was making people treat her like a leper. The only people he let near her was her family. He would not even let Sesshoumaru come within a few feet, leery of the other male youkai. He even growled at her grandfather!

Kagome could not wait for the kid to be born.

* * *

**AN:** Yea! Sesshoumaru and families arrive! And poor Sesshoumaru has a fanclub and there's nothing he can do about it. A thousand plus and he's still breaking hearts. What a guy! And now poor Kagome has to put up with an even more over protective Inuyasha. good thing that the kid's going to be born in the next chapter other wise I think she'd kill something. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 8**

**The Miracle of Birth: It will Scar the Poor Students**

Kagome was in transfiguration when it happened. She had been getting back pains since the day before that she could not account for but chalked them up to the fact she had so much weight straining an uncomfortable spot of her body. Of course, she had not told anyone, not wanting people to worry needlessly over nothing. Inuyasha had noticed her wincing. Sesshoumaru had been right, the closer she got to her due date the more overprotective Inuyasha became. He had hardly left her side or even taken his eyes off her for days now.

She gripped her pencil so tight it snapped, drawing the attention of almost everyone in the class. Inuyasha, who was sitting right next to her asked her what was wrong. She smiled and waved it off. Until she felt...

Well, lets just say that her water broke right then and there, in the middle of class.

"Aw, _crap_!" she exclaimed with all decorum. If she had not had everyone's attention before, she did now. "Inuyasha, it's time," she gasped, tremendously embarrassed.

"Are you sure?" he asked as he gathered her up in his arms. Kagome snarled.

"Does this look like a false alarm?" she snapped. Inuyasha did not say anything but he hurried through the halls to the Hospital Wing. Slamming the doors open and startling the few students who were being treated by Madam Pomfrey, he quickly deposited Kagome on an empty cot.

"I'll go find Doctor Kunimitsu," Inuyasha promised. Kagome caught his hand as he turned to leave.

"And bring momma, if you can," she begged. Inuyasha nodded and scurried out the doors.

"Mrs. Taisho, how are you feeling?" asked Madam Pomfrey. Kagome smiled.

"When my back's not hurting I'm feeling just fine," she winced as her back spasmed again.

"I would give you something for the pain but Doctor Kunimitsu made me promise that I would not treat you for anything unless you were dying," she grimaced.

"That's fine," Kagome waved it off, "I've been through worse pain. Had a couple of fist sized holes through my shoulder and gut once and no one other than myself who could heal," she laughed, "and I have never managed to be able to heal myself. Guess I gotta have something to keep me humble,"

Her back spasmed again, this time with a trickling flare of pink light. Kagome froze.

"No...It couldn't have been,"

"What?" asked Madam Pomfrey. The other students watched, curious.

"I thought I saw...but I've had that under control since before I married Inuyasha, I _had_ to," she shook her head, "I must be seeing things,"

"Seeing what?"

"It's nothing," Kagome said dismissively.

"What's going on?" asked one of the present students.

Kagome smiled to everyone in the room, "Hello everyone," she greeted, "I'm afraid that you're probably going to be witness to me having a baby. Please let me beg forgiveness in advance,"

"You're in labour?" gasped a girl.

Kagome laughed, though it sounded a little strained, "Well, my water broke if that's any indication," she was stopped from making any further comment by the Hospital Wing doors being thrown open.

"_Lady Kagome," _Doctor Kunimitsu Kyohei strode purposefully in and made a beeline for his patient. Inuyasha and Mrs. Higurashi trailed in his wake.

"_Doctor! Momma! Inuyasha!" _the miko smiled brightly, _"Thank you for come- ouch!" _another flare of pink light. This time Kagome was not the only one to see it.

"_Kagome?" _Inuyasha dared not move closer. The Doctor froze as well.

"_You saw that too, Inuyasha?" _she looked worried. Inuyasha nodded.

"_It seems that your powers are flaring," _deduced the Doctor.

"_They'll need to be sealed, won't they?" _she asked. Doctor Kunimitsu nodded.

"Preferably soon, before they could harm the child," 

Kagome thought, her mind racing, _"I can't do it by myself," _she concluded, _"I'll need an outside force. Souta's probably our best chance. He's got the right kind of power and I can coach him on what to do. I'd ask grandpa but..."_

"_Grandpa has gotten old," _Mrs. Higurashi agreed. Kagome nodded.

"_I'll get Souta," _Inuyasha volunteered calmly. Kagome stared at him. That was out of character. Not the volunteering, he did do that upon occasion, but the calmness. She watched as he vanished through the doors, her mouth hanging open just a bit from shock.

"_Was that my Inuyasha?" _she asked the room in general.

"_As strange as he is acting, I am fairly certain that that is your mate," _the Doctor verified, _"Now, Lady Kagome, tell me about the contractions. How far apart are they?"_

"_Contractions? I haven't had any contractions – Ouch! – just back pain. It's been twinging for about a day now," _

"_Well, sometimes the contractions come in the form of back pain due to how the baby is positioned. How far apart are these twinges?"

* * *

_

Inuyasha expeditiously delivered Souta to the hospital wing and had promptly been evicted. Inuyasha, not Souta. So Inuyasha sat in the hall just outside the doors, his ears cocked back to listen to the happenings going on behind him. Kagome was coaching Souta, giving the boy a crash course on how to manipulate holy energies through ceremony. Kagome had explained that she was not going to teach him how to work with it raw just yet, that would be too dangerous given the conditions. Inuyasha agreed.

Sesshoumaru stood across the hall from his brother, disturbed at the serene air about the hanyou. He had been walking on eggshells for almost ten months now, so why the sudden change?

Inuyasha glanced up at his brother. _"What?"_

"_How are you so calm, Inuyasha?" _the Taiyoukai asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I dunno. Why do you ask?" 

Sesshoumaru said nothing. He glanced towards the closed doors of the hospital wing when he heard a pained cry. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull.

"_Come. We should not be here. If they require our presence they will summon us," _Sesshoumaru declared, pushing away from his wall. Inuyasha, surprisingly, nodded and heaved himself to his feet.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," 

Sesshoumaru was not the only one disturbed by Inuyasha's behavior. Word that Kagome had gone into labour spread like wildfire once classes were let out and, by lunch, everyone who had met the little Japanese miko was silent with worry. Inuyasha sat and ate with the usual Gryffindors, Sesshoumaru by his side just in case he suddenly snapped when reality finally set in, as the Taiyoukai was sure would happen.

But Inuyasha remained the pillar of calm serenity. Even though the entire head table was silent, as well as most of the Gryffindor table, he acted as though he were Sesshoumaru, while Sesshoumaru himself was starting to crack. The tall, stately, unflappable, dignified, composed Taiyoukai was running his hand through his long hair every few seconds, betraying his inner turmoil. His golden eyes, so much like Inuyasha's, were scanning the great hall rapidly and with thinly veiled nervousness.

"_She'll be fine," _Inuyasha said quietly, _"She's a strong woman,"_

Sesshoumaru dared not say anything to the contrary. Kagome was strong, yes, but hanyou deliveries were dangerous. Especially if the mother was human, pure human. Add in the fact that her mikoki was running wild and had to be suppressed because it could kill of not only the youkai around her, the Doctor for one, but the child inside of her as well.

Oh, Sesshoumaru understood all of the complications and what could go wrong. He had played the multiple possible deaths of his beloved sister-in-law through his mind a thousand times over and a thousand times more. He watched with despair, in his mind, as his brother fell to a similar fate, following after his mate.

He could not allow that to happen.

* * *

They had to pull Kagome's cot away from the wall in order to set up the ceremony. Kagome instructed Souta to take three of her prayer scrolls, unroll them to full length and lay them in a circle about her cot. Madam Pomfrey obligingly transfigured some matchsticks into incense that Kagome then directed to be lit and placed on either side of Souta's position.

Souta nervously fiddled with the single prayer scroll that Kagome let him hold. She gave him constant instructions on what to do, speaking whenever she was not riding through a contraction.

"_Just reach – ouch! – down inside yourself. Stay calm and relaxed,"_

"_Good advice," _said Doctor Kunimitsu, _"You should follow it yourself,"_

"_Oh, don't interrupt me," _she smiled and continued, _"Stay relaxed and calm. Clear your mind, focus on a single object if that helps. Got that? Now repeat after me: Powers of the Gods be Sealed by this prayer,"_

"_Power of the Gods be Sealed by this prayer," _Souta echoed obediently.

"_Good, now just repeat that every couple of seconds," _She directed. Souta nodded. He had to admit that he held more faith in Kagome's teachings and knowledge on Holy Powers and rituals than he did his own grandfather's. Kagome had trained under two powerful and knowledgeable Priest and Priestesses in the past, before the traditions were diluted though general indifference.

Kagome grimaced, already able to feel her holy powers being suppressed. She tried to follow the Doctor's advice and relax when she felt the contractions building. With the support of her mother she spent the bulk of the time on her feet, pacing around the bed, pausing only occasionally to sit and rest her swollen feet. Mrs. Higurashi rubbed her daughter's back and brushed her hair, anything to pass the time and make the ordeal less arduous.

* * *

Inuyasha sat outside on a large and conveniently bare rock just below the hospital wing windows. Sesshoumaru wondered if his brother had even realized that little fact.

"_So, how are your daughters and Takiko?" _asked Inuyasha after several long minutes of mutual silence. Sesshoumaru looked at his brother like he had grown another head since he knew that Inuyasha already knew the answer to his question. He answered anyway.

"_They are well. Mei has taken it into her head that she is old enough to be accepting suitors," _Sesshoumaru frowned. Inuyasha looked up at him, surprised.

"_What? She can't be that old. How old is she again?"_

"_She has just reached her sixteenth year. It is an age, as I understand, that can be quite troublesome," _Sesshoumaru smirked, _"I suppose that I can be looking forwards to you expressing same such grief in years to come,"_

"_Yeah, I guess so," _Inuyasha tossed him a wry grin. _"Then again, Kagome mated me when she was only sixteen,"_

Sesshoumaru tossed his brother a frown. Inuyasha smirked. Silence again descended upon the brothers as they gazed out over the calmness of the lake.

"_Have you and Kagome decided on any names as of yet?" _Sesshoumaru asked. He had not realized how out of character it was for him to ask such a question until Inuyasha started laughing. He frowned. _"This Sesshoumaru fails to see what is so amusing, Inuyasha,"_

"_It's strange, don't you think, that you're worried when I, for some reason, am so calm?" _he continued laughing.

"_Very strange," _Sesshoumaru scowled, _"Any ideas as to a reason why?"_

"_No clue," _Inuyasha leaned back, _"It's probably going to hit me later like one of your Toxic Flower Claws once this is over,"_

"_And if it does not then I shall hit you anyways," _Sesshoumaru was the best of brothers.

Inuyasha winced, absently rubbing the skin beneath his bracelet. Sesshoumaru noticed that the style matched the Necklace of Subjugation his brother wore.

"_Is something the matter?"_

"_The bracelet burns," _Inuyasha grimaced, _"Kagome spelled it back when we first got here so that I'd know if she was in danger, but it burns when she's in pain too. It's been doing this almost constantly for weeks, what with all the false alarms. Bet she didn't think of that when she made it," _he paused, _"But it sure did help out when she... when she almost miscarried," _Sesshoumaru was shocked. No one had informed him of that particular event.

"_When did this happen?" _he demanded.

"_A couple months after we arrived, near the end of...what is the month called where everyone gets all dressed up like demons and stuff?"_

"_October?"_

"_Yeah, that one. Some girl pushed Kagome down some stairs. I'd been out training when it happened. I should have been with her, if I had it wouldn't have happened," _Inuyasha hung his head in abject guilt. _"When I felt the bracelet burn I just snapped. For some reason tessaiga allowed my youkai blood free and I just got to her in time to perform a bloodhealing for her and the pup,"_

"_It was a close call?"_

"_Very close. No one, other than the professors and Hermione, knew that she was pregnant,"_

"_But you got to her in time,"_

"_I could have lost them," _Inuyasha whispered, stricken, the event still vivid in his mind's eye.

"_Yet you did not," _Sesshoumaru reasoned.

"But-" 

"_Inuyasha, there is no reason to bemoan what could have come to pass. I can find no fault in how you handled the situation," _the Taiyoukai admitted. Inuyasha did not say anything, just kept rubbing his wrist.

"_But she's going to be fine, isn't she?" _he whispered, _"Even though she's loosing control over her powers and our child has youkai blood,"_

"_Kagome is a strong woman. Her brother, though young, is capable and will do anything to aid her in the endeavor of containing her holy powers in order to ensure the safe delivery of your child,"_

"_Thank you Sesshoumaru,"_ And he meant it.

* * *

Kagome was sure she was going to die. Sure she had a competent, excellent really, Doctor Kunimitsu as well as Madam Pomfrey supervising, Souta was doing a flawless job containing her powers so that they could not surface and harm anyone or anything and having her mom there was a vast comfort. But the other students in the hospital wing were watching with an obvious horrified fascination as she pushed.

Tired, sweaty and in pain Kagome really had no idea what she was screaming at anyone anymore and she hoped that they would not hold it against her later.

Doctor Kunimitsu kept telling her to push. He had been saying that for ages, as far as Kagome was concerned. She snarled at him to shut up. He did not of course.

Kagome tightened her grip on her mother's hand, swearing that Inuyasha would never again touch her if this was what she had to put up with as a result. She thought it highly unfair and she said as much.

She could sense Inuyasha nearby. With her powers suppressed she could not pinpoint him but he was close enough that she started screaming at him, rather than the poor people in the hospital wing with her.

Oh, she hoped that that bracelet was burning on his wrist.

* * *

It was announced at dinner to the whole school that Kagome had given birth to a baby girl. Inuyasha, who had just left the Hospital Wing and his exhausted mate and child, was sitting, still shell-shocked, at the Gryffindor table. He was oblivious to the congratulations that were being passed about his head. The Weasley twins both slapped his shoulders, both of them. Hermione gave him an unrestrained hug and demanded to know when she could visit Kagome. Everyone else cheered and generally made a joyful noise.

Sesshoumaru kept careful watch on his brother not liking the absent look in his eye.

Suddenly Inuyasha stood. He walked, without a word of explanation, out of the great hall, through the entrance hall and down the stairs leading to the peaceful, calm night. Sesshoumaru followed just behind him, waiting.

"_I could have killed her,"_ he said, _"All that blood...and claws. I didn't think that babies had claws..."_

"_They were too soft to do any harm, Inuyasha. And there was no more blood than what is expected in a birthing,"_

"_I could have lost Kagome. And little Izayoi,"_

"_Inuyasha-"_

Inuyasha whirled about and started yelling, _"Don't try and comfort me, _brother_. Your mate was at least hanyou, she could survive more! Kagome is only human!"_

"_Inuyasha! Your own mother survived birthing you. Your child is only one quarter youkai, you are one half. If your mother could do it and in such primitive conditions of centuries past why could it not be just as possible for Kagome?"_ Sesshoumaru snapped. Inuyasha growled and lunged. Sesshoumaru dodged nimbly out of the way.

With a fluid motion born through years of hands-on practice, both brothers had their swords in hand and faced each other. Inuyasha attacked wildly unleashing everything but his most powerful attacks. Sesshoumaru alternated between close range combat and taking to the air for better use of his youki whip. It was not long before they had managed to attract the attention of the students and professors still in the castle, unwittingly dragging them away from their meal.

Sesshoumaru was quite aware of their audience and made certain that he kept his brother from unleashing anything that may harm them. He danced around and with Inuyasha in a deadly duet, allowing him to release his pent up emotions in the only manner the hanyou knew how.

After near an hour of battling Inuyasha collapsed to his knees and leaned on tessaiga like a crutch, the massive sword digging deep into the earth. Sesshoumaru sheathed tokijin and moved closer to his brother.

"_Are you quite finished yet, Inuyasha?" _he asked quietly. Inuyasha nodded.

"_Yeah. Sorry,"_

"_No need," _he waved it aside, _"It is quite understandable. This Sesshoumaru has been expecting action in one form or another for some time now. It is admirable how long you kept control," _he held his hand out. Inuyasha considered for a second before he took the offer and hauled himself back up. He sheathed tessaiga and walked calmly back into the castle. The crowd of spectators parted to let the brothers through.

* * *

**AN:** Could you imagine just how embarrassing that would be? Your water breaking in the middle of class? Don't ask me why she was still in classes that close to her due date. Bet you anything she bullied everyone into letting her. She's tough like that. Not even youkai can stand up to her fury! And those poor kids in the Hospital Wing. They'll never want children now! what an I doing to these poor people? I'm a monster! And as for Inuyasha be ever so calm, it's a nice juxtaposition, isn't it? I kinda figured it would be nice since he's been walking on eggshells for months now, his mind kinda goes into a protective shock and he's so very OOC. And hey! The story's one and only fight scene! Not much, was it? oh well. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **Neither Inuyasha nor Harry Potter and all characters contained within said works belong to Sessha-chan. It tears me apart to admit it but it is the truth.

**Chapter 9**

**And Now, to Finish the Term…**

Kagome was released from the hospital wing a week after little Izayoi was born. Izayoi was an instant hit in the Gryffindor common room. She looked just like her mother with the exception of the silver fuzz that covered the top of her head and the tiny claws she sported on the ends of her fingers and toes. Little Izayoi had her mother's blue eyes and near bipolar temperament. With the help and advice from her mother Kagome soon had her newborn sleeping through the nights within three weeks after Sesshoumaru had taken the Doctor and the Higurashi family back to Japan.

Classes were difficult to handle now. Kagome had to get her mother to send baby formula and diapers so that Inuyasha could look after Izayoi while she attended classes. The poor boy got a crash course on what it was like to be a mother. Thankfully, he had calmed down quite a bit after Izayoi was born and Kagome could go to class alone now.

Final exams, the NEWTs they called them, were coming up. Kagome spent every waking minute pouring over books and practicing on various unfortunate objects she found lying around their dorm. Several times Inuyasha had to rescue something right out from underneath her wand before she turned it into a teapot or something.

Izayoi grew rapidly. In two months the little baby was starting to crawl around, usually after one of her baby toys. Kagome had to be reminded by Inuyasha that youkai children, of any percentage, grew faster while they were young. They did not slow until they looked about three or four years old and then they slowed to almost no aging at all. Kagome had smiled, suddenly understanding why Shippou looked only six when he was already ten.

* * *

The day for the first of the two weeks of NEWT examinations had arrived. Kagome was admitted into the great hall. She was to take the exams with everyone else. The written examinations were something she was used to doing so she was not worried. In fact, she and Hermione finished about the same time.

After the written exams came the practical examinations. The students were admitted into the great hall in groups of twelve. Kagome was nervous, but still managed to please the examiners she was assigned to.

Her Defense Against the Dark Arts examiner seemed extra upbeat and just a little loopy.

"Missus? You're married at your age?"

"Yes ma'am," Kagome nodded.

"Well, Mrs. Taisho, I have heard that you have just had a child," the jolly looking woman giggled. Kagome nodded.

"Yes, a little girl,"

"Well, congratulations. Imagine, you have a new child yet you are still in school. Admirable, Mrs. Taisho,"

"Thank you,"

"Well, well, we best not waste time lollygagging. I want you to describe the three ways you could stop Margleflunker,"

Margleflunker? Kagome froze. What was that again? Oh, right!

"Well, one, I could use a shield charm like so," she twirled her wand and created a shimmering shield between her and the world, "Two, if the timing was right I could try and hit it with a freezing spell to counter the flames it likes to use so much and three, I could bind it in a spell of eternal sleep, a spell that is only useful when used on creatures less powerful than yourself. As a fourth option, if I had lost my wand I could call upon my mikoki and purify the low class stinker,"

The examiner looked impressed. And intrigued, "Mikoki? What is that?"

"Well," Kagome said and put her want down on a desk, "Mikoki, or houriki, is a holy magic that I, as a Traditional Shinto Priestess, possess. It's most basic function of to purify evil, such as Dark Creatures," she released her hold on her power just enough to allow a soft pink glow to envelop her.

"Well," the examiner rubbed her hands together, pleased, "Well, I am most impressed, Mrs. Taisho. You seem to know what you are doing,"

"_Well, I should think so," _she whispered sarcastically to herself when she was excused, _"After all the fighting I did,"_

Inuyasha was waiting for her, sitting on the stairs leading to the second story. Izayoi was cradled in his lap, sound asleep and snoring gently.

"_Hey Kagome," _He called quietly, not wanting to wake their daughter. _"How'd it go?"_

"_In the bag," _she slid onto the stair beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, sighing, _"I'll be glad when this is all over though,"_

"_Yeah, then we can go home," _Inuyasha said wistfully.

"_Back to the shrine. Back to the village," _Kagome agreed.

"_The first thing I'm going to do when we get home is take a nap in the goshinboku,"_

"_Oh really?" _Kagome arched an eyebrow, _"You're not going to have me make you some ramen? You're not going to torment Buyo?"_

"_Nope. It's the tree for me," _Inuyasha insisted.

Kagome smiled, _"Alright then,"_

"_Come on," _Inuyasha started to his feet, careful to not wake Izayoi, _"Let's go take a walk,"_

Kagome followed him outside into the sun. She almost laughed when the tension that had been knotting up his shoulders visibly fled the moment his bare feet touched the grass. Obviously, Inuyasha had been indoors for too long, waiting for her to finish up with her exams. Now that she was done Kagome was sure he was going to stay outside for as long as she would let him get away with.

They wandered over to the lake and Kagome took a seat in the cool shade of a waiting tree. Summer was rising and the heat, though not as intense as Tokyo, was stifling. She took Izayoi from Inuyasha and settled the child on the grass beside her.

"_Why don't you go for a swim, Inuyasha?" _she suggested. Inuyasha looked at the clear, sparkling water of the lake, _"I'll watch Izayoi, don't worry,"_

The hanyou shrugged and took off his gi, baring his chest. He tossed it back at his mate as he waded into the cool water. In seconds he was under.

Kagome watched from the shore, her gaze wandering between the lake surface and the shore and the other students. Inuyasha surfaced several hundred feet from where he went under.

"Wow!" Ron breathed from behind her, catching her attention, "He can really swim, can't he?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"Well, he is half inuyoukai," Kagome reasoned, "Have you ever met a dog that couldn't swim?"

"Good point," Harry laughed, sitting next to her, but a respectable distance away. "How'd you do?"

"The tests here aren't nearly as scary at the ones I had to take back home," she laughed.

"You're kidding!" Ron looked horrified, "They were horrible! I'm sure I failed,"

"I'm sure you didn't fail, Ron," Hermione reassured. Kagome held her tongue. And it did not go unnoticed.

"Kagome doesn't think so," Harry laughed. Kagome smiled innocently at her friends. Ron huffed indignantly, crossing his arms across his chest. Now Hermione and Kagome joined Harry in laughter, waking Izayoi. The little quarter-inuyoukai girl complained loudly at the affront. Her mother smiled and picked her up, settling her in her lap with a kiss on her round cheek.

"_Sorry Iza-chan,"_ she apologized, _"Mommy didn't mean to wake you,"_

Of course, the little girl was not mollified but did eventually calm down under the persuasion of being allowed to splash in the shallow water of the edge of the lake. Kagome kept a watchful eye on her daughter, making sure that the child did not crawl out too far. Inuyasha surfaced again, this time closer to the center of the lake. He waved, a small white speck in the distance. Kagome waved back and watched as he went under once again.

"What is he doing?" Harry asked.

"Swimming," Kagome shot the black-haired boy a look that clearly was asking where his wits were, "Isn't that a bit obvious?"

Harry flushed, "Well, yeah. But why is he under water for so long?"

"Don't ask me," Kagome shrugged, "He's probably exploring the lake bottom,"

"The lake bottom?" Hermione asked.

"But there's things like merfolk down there! Not to mention the squid!" Ron protested.

Kagome smiled at them, amused, "Don't worry about Inuyasha. He once fought a water dragon youkai that was toting himself up to be a lake god. Let's just say that Inuyasha didn't loose," she winked, "After that I'm sure that there isn't much more that could faze him when it comes to things that live in water,"

"Lake god?"

"Water youkai?"

The boys looked so confused. Kagome caught the back of Izayoi's pants and pulled her closer. "That's right. We ran across a lot of them during our travels around Inuyasha's homeland. And honestly it was a good thing that Inuyasha was there since he was the best fighter out of all of us and I was only half trained at the time," she laughed and pulled Izayoi back again. _"Iza-chan, no going out so far. Daddy will come back, don't worry,"_

Izayoi gurgled at her and splashed her hands in the water. Inuyasha didn't come back for another fifteen minutes and when he did he was tired and out of breath. He flopped beside Kagome, setting Izayoi on his bare stomach so that he could tickle her under her chin.

"Have fun?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha grinned, stretching.

"You know they got a whole village of water youkai down there?" he said.

Kagome nodded, "They call them 'merfolk' here. Harry and Ron were telling me about them,"

"You met the merfolk?" Ron leaned forward.

Inuyasha shrugged, "Yeah, so what?"

"You didn't fight, did you? Are you hurt?" Hermione asked and looked him over with a critical eye. The hanyou just snorted and tickled his daughter under her chin again.

"Like something as weak as them could even scratch me," he boasted, "I'm not some weak, lowclass. I could be a Taiyoukai if I wanted to be,"

"Then why aren't you?" Harry asked, curious.

"Because he can't be bothered with dealing with other youkai," Kagome smiled.

"It's better being the younger brother," Inuyasha agreed, "Less responsibility. All I have to look after is my forest rather than a whole island,"

"Island?"

"Sesshoumaru's lands consist entirely of the main island of Japan," Kagome explained, "Hokkaido is the Northern Lands, Honshu the Western Lands, Shikoku the Southern Lands and Kyushu the Eastern. That takes care of the four major islands of Japan, dividing the country neatly enough so the there is less warfare between the four Lords. It a handy way to keep the borders and no one bothers Sesshoumaru about having the bulk of the lads because they know that they wouldn't stand a chance against him. He's just that good,"

Inuyasha snorted. "Good thing he's not here to hear you. He doesn't need a bigger ego than he already has,"

"But Inuyasha's on par with him despite being half human," Kagome continued, "It's nice because now practically no one picks on him, especially since he made up with Sesshoumaru and they're on the same side now,"

Inuyasha snorted again. Izayoi curled up on top of her father and started nodding off.

"Does being half human make such a difference?" Harry asked. Inuyasha tensed and Kagome bit her lip.

"Life is hard for hanyou," she said slowly, "Most aren't allowed to survive past birth if the pregnancy is even allowed. If they _are _permitted to live then they grow up in a world where neither of their base species will accept them. Humans hate them for their youkai blood and youkai look down on them like they are nothing more than scum. Most hanyou don't make it for that reason,"

"Sounds rough," Ron whistled in amazement.

"That's an understatement," Inuyasha said sarcastically.

"At least you had Sesshoumaru on your side, even if it did look like he was trying to kill you," Kagome reasoned.

"It didn't _look_ like he was trying to kill me, he _was_ trying to kill me," the hanyou protested vehemently.

"If he really was trying to kill you back then, then why aren't you dead? It's not like you could have stood against him when we first met," Kagome said tartly. Inuyasha scowled. "And don't you dare forget all those times that he left you alive, Inuyasha, when he could have killed you,"

"I still hate him," Inuyasha insisted, glowering.

Kagome smiled, "Sure you do,"

"Didn't look like you hated him when he visited," Hermione pointed out thoughtfully.

The hanyou scowled at her. No one was impressed by his meager display of temper.

"Oh, come on," Kagome said brightly, "let's enjoy our time off while we still have it!"

"I'm up for that," Ron agreed.

"Sounds good to me," seconded Harry.

"I guess I can read out here," who else but Hermione said.

"Whatever. Wake me up for dinner," Inuyasha stretched out and closed his eyes.

Kagome laughed. If only her life was always this peaceful.

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha bid everyone farewell at the train station – Kagome doing more of the farewelling than Inuyasha. They caught a taxi to the airport, arriving with just enough time to check in, deal with their luggage and board. Izayoi got to sit on Kagome's lap during the entire trip, thankfully sleeping through most of the flight.

Kagome's mother was waiting with Takiko when they disembarked in Japan. Takiko had brought one of her cars, picking Mrs. Higurashi on her way. There was much oohing and ahing over little Izayoi she was looking almost twelve months old already despite being only four and a half months. Her feathery silver hair had grown long enough that the back was brushing the nape of her neck and Kagome was having to cut it to keep it out of the way.

Takiko had thought to bring along one of her old car seats and showed Kagome how to strap Izayoi in properly. Inuyasha had the luggage in hand and was deftly stowing it in the trunk. Soon the entire group was piled in the car and on their way home.

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes, breathing in the less-than-pure Tokyo air she considered home.

_Tadaima, minna-san.

* * *

_

**AN:** And we're done! There, that wasn't so bad, was it? Probably worse. Oh well. Thanks for suffering through this self-indulgent fic. I'll try not to write too many more purely selfish fics like this. Isn't Izayoi cute? They named her after Inuyasha's mom, for anyone who doesn't already know. I thought it was appropriate. I know the story's not all that great and could use some serious work, but I don't really care right now. Maybe I'll work some more on it later. We'll see.


End file.
